Seviteronel (VT-464) is a 17,20-lyase selective inhibitor of CYP17A1, which plays key roles in adrenal and intratumoral de novo biosynthesis of androgens. The inhibition of 17,20-lyase activity by seviteronel (VT-464) is enough to reduce androgen levels, and its preserving of 17alpha-hydroxylase activity largely avoids interference with the production of other steroidal hormones. Seviteronel (VT-464) also has shown AR-antagonist activity independent of CYP17 enzyme inhibition. It is currently in phase 2 clinical trials as a therapeutic for castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Pantetheine is the mercaptoethyl conjugated amide analog of pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), an intermediate in the production of coenzyme A by the body. Pantetheine is part of two larger compounds (coenzyme A and acyl-carrier protein) that promote a large number of metabolic reactions essential for the growth and well-being of animals. Pantetheine has been found to ameliorate symptoms in various disease models but specifically in Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN). Pantetheine is usually administered in its disulfide form (i.e. pantethine) since pantethine is commercially available and is reduced to pantetheine in biological systems and pantethine was hydrolyzed to pantetheine and pantothenic acid prior to absorption. The applicability and efficacy of pantethine (therefore also pantetheine) as a clinical therapeutic however is hampered since both forms can be degraded by pantetheine present in the body.

LY-3039478 is an orally bioavailable, novel small molecule inhibitor of Notch signaling pathway, developed Eli Lilly and Company for cancer treatment. The Notch receptor, on the surfaces of progenitor cells and cancer cells, binds neighboring cell-surface ligands DLL or JAGGED. On ligand binding, the intramembrane protease γ-secretase cleaves the Notch intracellular domain (NICD). LY-3039478 is an exquisitely potent inhibitor of Notch-1 intracellular domain (N1ICD) cleavage with an IC50 of ∼1nM in most of the tumor cell lines tested. LY3039478 also potently inhibits mutant Notch receptor activity. Treatment with a gamma-secretase inhibitor, LY3039478, significantly inhibited the growth of 2 CCRCC(Clear cell renal cell carcinoma) cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. LY3039478 treatment also led to decreased expression of Myc and Cyclin A1, two genes that were part of the NOTCH driven proliferative signature in murine and human model systems. LY3039478 treatment also led to G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in CCRCC cells. In a xenograft tumor model, LY3039478 inhibited N1ICD cleavage and expression of Notch-regulated genes in the tumor microenvironment. The inhibition of Notch cleavage also resulted in the induction of apoptosis in a Notch-dependent xenograft model. In immunodeficient NSG mice xenografted with 769-P CCRCC cells, LY3039478 treatment resulted in significantly increased survival and delayed tumor growth in independent cohorts of mice demonstrating in vivo efficacy in CCRCC. LY3039478 is being investigated in a clinical trial in patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia or T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in combination with Dexamethasone.

Sanofi has developed SAR260301 as a selective inhibitor of the class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) beta isoform with potential antineoplastic activity. It is known that the dysregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is frequently found in solid tumors and contributes to increased tumor cell growth, tumor cell survival. SAR260301 participated in phase I clinical trials in patients with advanced solid tumors. It was found that the drug had an acceptable safety profile, but exposure sufficient to inhibit the PI3K pathway was unachievable because of rapid clearance, and clinical development was terminated.

ARN-810 (GDC-0810) is a novel, orally bioavailable, estrogen receptor antagonist that induces proteasomal estrogen receptor degradation in breast cancer cell lines at picomolar concentrations and tumor regression in tamoxifen-sensitive and resistant BC xenograft models. Results from a first-in-human phase I/IIa study of ARN-810 indicate that it is tolerable and may benefit some postmenopausal women with advanced estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Development of ARN-810 was discontinued.

PQR-309 is an orally bioavailable pan inhibitor of phosphoinositide-3-kinases (PI3K) and inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), with potential antineoplastic activity. PI3K/mTOR kinase inhibitor PQR-309 inhibits the PI3K kinase isoforms alpha, beta, gamma and delta and, to a lesser extent, mTOR kinase, which may result in tumor cell apoptosis and growth inhibition in cells overexpressing PI3K/mTOR. By inhibiting mTOR to a lesser extent than PI3K, PQR-309 does not interfere with the mTOR-mediated negative feedback loop on PI3K signaling. Blocking the negative feedback loop would potentially increase PI3K signaling and decrease therapeutic efficacy. PQR-309 is in phase II clinical trial for the treatment of glioblastoma, head and neck cancer, lymphoma and breast cancer. Common adverse events included fatigue, hyperglycemia, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, rash, anorexia and vomiting.

BI-224436 is an HIV-1 integrase inhibitor with effective antiviral activity that acts through a mechanism that is distinct from that of integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). This 3-quinolineacetic acid derivative series was identified using an enzymatic integrase long terminal repeat (LTR) DNA 3'-processing assay. A combination of medicinal chemistry, parallel synthesis, and structure-guided drug design led to the identification of BI 224436 as a candidate for preclinical profiling. It has antiviral 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) of <15 nM against different HIV-1 laboratory strains and cellular cytotoxicity of >90 μM. BI-224436 also retains full antiviral activity against recombinant viruses encoding INSTI resistance substitutions N155S, Q148H, and E92Q. In drug combination studies performed in cellular antiviral assays, BI-224436 displays an additive effect in combination with most approved antiretrovirals, including INSTIs. BI-224436 has drug-like in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties, including Caco-2 cell permeability, solubility, and low cytochrome P450 inhibition. It exhibited excellent pharmacokinetic profiles in rat (clearance as a percentage of hepatic flow [CL], 0.7%; bioavailability [F], 54%), monkey (CL, 23%; F, 82%), and dog (CL, 8%; F, 81%). Based on the excellent biological and pharmacokinetic profile, BI 224436 was advanced into phase 1 clinical trials. Trials with clinical candidate BI-224436 were put on hold despite promising results.

AMG-925, a dual FLT3/CDK4 inhibitor, has been developed to overcome resistance to FLT3 inhibitors, which is a serious clinical issue in treating acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). AMG-925 inhibits FLT3, including many FLT3 mutants reported to date. AMG-925 inhibits the proliferation of a panel of human tumor cell lines including Colo205 (Rb(+)) and U937 (FLT3(WT)) and induced cell death in MOLM13 (FLT3(ITD)) and even in MOLM13 (FLT3(ITD, D835Y)), which exhibits resistance to a number of FLT3 inhibitors currently under clinical development. At well-tolerated doses, AMG-925 leads to significant growth inhibition of MOLM13 xenografts in nude mice, and the activity correlates with inhibition of STAT5 and Rb phosphorylation. AMG-925 is in Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of Acute myeloid leukaemia.

Imazethapyr is an imidazole compound used as a selective herbicide. It is applied preplant incorporated, preemergence, at cracking, and postemergence. The compound controls weeds by reducing the levels of three branched-chain aliphatic amino acids, isoleucine, leucine and valine, through the inhibition of aceto-hydroxyacid synthase, an enzyme common to the biosynthetic pathway for these amino acids. This inhibition causes a disruption in protein synthesis which, in turn, leads to an interference in DNA synthesis and cell growth. The compound is used to control grasses and broadleaved weeds including barnyardgrass, crabgrass, cocklebur, panicums, pigweeds, nightshade, mustard, smartweed, velvetleaf, jimsonweed, foxtails, seedling johnsongrass, lambsquarters, morningglory and others. Tolerant crops include soybeans, peanuts, dry and edible beans, peas, alfalfa and imidazolinone resistant/tolerant corn. Additional research is being conducted on other leguminous crops. Acetolactate synthase inhibition is the primary mechanism of action of imazethapyr (IM).

Savolitinib (AZD6094, HMPL-504) has been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of tumors in a series of preclinical disease models, selectively for those tumors with aberrant c-Met signaling. Phase I dose escalation studies were initiated in Australia and China in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Savolitinib has demonstrated good safety and tolerability and favorable pharmacokinetic properties in late stage cancer patients, and has shown encouraging anti-tumor activity in several tumor-types, in particular for metastatic Papillary Renal Cell Cancer (PRCC). Phase II, study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of savolitinib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic PRCC. Approximately 20 centers in the United States, Canada, and Europe will participate in the study. The primary objective of this study is to assess the anti-tumor activity in patients with PRCC as measured by overall response rate according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (“RECIST”). The secondary objectives for this study are to: assess the progression free survival and duration of response in patients with PRCC according to RECIST; assess the safety and tolerability in the treatment of patients with PRCC; characterize the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of savolitinib and metabolites following administration to steady state after multiple dosing when given orally.