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editorial
. 2024 May 8;15(6):763–765. doi: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00184

The Inhibitors of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation Protein 1 (MALT-1) Protease as Potential Treatment of ABC-DLBCL and Similar Diseases

Ahmed F Abdel-Magid 1,*
PMCID: PMC11181514  PMID: 38894907

Abstract

graphic file with name ml4c00184_0001.jpg

The invention in this patent application relates to thiazolo[5,4-b]pyridine derivatives represented generally by formula 1. These compounds are inhibitors of the activity of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT-1) protease and may potentially be useful in the treatment of some forms of cancer, particularly ABC-DLBCL.

Important Compound Classes

Formula 1:

graphic file with name ml4c00184_0002.jpg

Title

Thiazolo[5,4-b]pyridine MALT-1 Inhibitors

Patent Publication Number

WO 2023/192913 A1

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/62/81/b1/e35cd9defd0d77/WO2023192913A1.pdf

Publication Date

October 5, 2023

Priority Application

US 63/362,302

Priority Date

March 31, 2022

Inventors

Cohen, D. T.; Gong, J.; Jain, T.; Kumar, P.; Liu, D.; Mastracchio, A.; Mills, M.; Phillips, A. W.; Pratt, J. K.; Punna, S.; Stockwell, J. A.; Wang, L.; Yu, Y.

Assignee Company

AbbVie Inc., 1 N Waukegan Road, AP3402 V377, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA

Disease Area

Activated B cell-like subtype diffuse large B cell lymphoma (ABC-DLBCL) and possibly other forms of cancer

Biological Target

The human paracaspase, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT-1)

Summary

Paracaspases are cysteine proteases that are related to the caspase protease enzyme family. The members of this family play essential roles in programmed cell death in different species, including humans. The only known human paracaspase is mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT-1).

The B and T cells of the adaptive immune system utilize the pleiotropic nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathway to transduce extracellular signals from cognate antigen receptors to increase survival and proliferation. This signal transduction leads to a rapid nuclear localization of NF-κB and activation of target genes, including proinflammatory cytokines and negative regulators of apoptosis.

The stimulation of B cell receptor and T cell receptor results in the formation of a signaling complex composed of the caspase recruitment domain family member 11 (CARD11), the B cell CLL/lymphoma 10 (BCL10), and the paracaspase MALT-1. This signaling complex is known by its abbreviated name, CARD11-BCL10-MALT-1 complex, or simply CBM complex. The CBM complex is a key downstream signaling hub of the NF-κB pathway. It recruits multiple signaling proteins, which is a function that sets canonical NF-κB activation in motion.

The NF-κB activation by the CBM complex reveals important roles of MALT-1 as a necessary scaffold protein in assembling the CBM complex as well as an essential key activator of NF-κB within this complex. However, MALT-1 roles do not stop there—it also acts as a protease to cleave the negative regulators of the NF-κB pathway for signal reinforcement.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a form of B-cells cancer, which is categorized into two distinct molecular subtypes: activated B-cell-like (ABC) and germinal center B-cell-like (GCB). Studies have linked aberrant activation of NF-κB signaling with DLBCL. Gain-of-function mutations of the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway have been detected frequently in DLBCL. These mutations can initiate constitutive activation of NF-κB, which is required for tumor cell survival.

One kind of DLBCL tumor is the activated B-cell-like subtype diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (ABC-DLBCL) that is characterized by chronically active BCR signaling pathway, which stimulates NF-κB.

Deregulated MALT-1 activity has been implicated in various human diseases. For example, the function of MALT-1 as an activator of the NF-κB pathway plays an essential role in promoting DLBCL cancers such as ABC-DLBCL. Therefore, the inhibition of MALT-1 protease has emerged as a therapeutic target to provide a viable treatment for these diseases. However, there remains a specific need for novel and effective inhibitors of MALT-1 activity with improved potency and pharmaceutical properties as potential therapy for the treatment of ABC-DLBCL and similar diseases.

The disclosed compounds of formula 1 in this patent application have displayed activities as inhibitors of MALT-1 protease and may potentially provide a treatment for ABC-DLBCL or related cancers.

Key Structures

The inventors described the structures and procedures for the synthesis of 39 examples of compounds of formula 1. The following structures are representative examples:graphic file with name ml4c00184_0003.jpggraphic file with name ml4c00184_0006.jpg

Biological Assays

The inventors used the following assays to test the compounds of formula 1:

  • 1.

    MALT-1 Biochemical Assay

  • 2.

    MALT-1 Cell IL-6 AlphaLISA Assay

  • 3.

    Cardiovascular Assay

  • 4.

    CYP3A4 Induction Assay

Biological Data

The data obtained from testing the representative examples by assays 1 and 2 above are summarized in the following table.graphic file with name ml4c00184_0004.jpg

Recent Review Articles

See refs (15).

The author declares no competing financial interest.

References

  1. Plotnik J. P.; Richardson A. E.; Yang H.; Rojas E.; Bontcheva V.; Dowell C.; Parsons S.; Wilson A.; Ravanmehr V.; Will C.; et al. Inhibition of MALT1 and BCL2 induces synergistic antitumor activity in models of B cell lymphoma. Mol. Cancer Ther. 2024, 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-23-0518. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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