PURPOSE:The involvement of the EGF receptor (EGFr) family of receptors in cancers suggests that a selective inhibitor of the tyrosine kinase activity of the EGFr family could have a therapeutic effect. PD 0169414, an anilinoquinazoline, is a potent irreversible inhibitor of the EGFr family tyrosine kinase activity with IC(50) values of 0.42 nM against the isolated EGF receptor, and 4.7 nM and 22 nM against EGF- and heregulin-mediated receptor phosphorylation in A431 and MDA-MB-453 cells, respectively.METHODS AND RESULTS:Oral administration of 260 mg/kg per day PD 0169414 for 15 days to animals bearing advanced-stage A431 epidermoid carcinoma produced a 28.2-day delay in tumor growth and resulted in three complete and three partial tumor regressions in six animals. Toxicity at this dose level was limited to <6% loss of initial body weight. Doses of 160 and 100 mg/kg per day produced tumor growth delays of 29.5 and 20.9 days and two and one complete regressions in six animals, respectively. Subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and oral routes of administration have also shown in vivo antitumor activity of PD 0169414 in a panel of human tumor xenografts. Responsive tumor lines include A431 (human epidermoid carcinoma), H125 (NSCL carcinoma), MCF-7 and UISO-BCA1 (human breast carcinoma), and SK-OV-03 (human ovarian carcinoma). The therapeutic effect ranged from delayed tumor growth (6.4 days delayed tumor growth for 14 days of treatment) to tumor regressions (32.2 days delayed tumor growth and five partial regressions in six animals) in these model systems.CONCLUSION:PD 0169414 is a specific, irreversible inhibitor of EGFr family tyrosine kinases with significant in vivo activity against a variety of relevant human tumor xenografts.

PD153035 is a potent (Ki=6 pm) and specific inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor (EOF) receptor tyrosine kinase that suppresses tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor in A431 cells at nanomolar concentrations in cell culture. We have examined the pharmacokinetics of this compound and its ability to rapidly suppress phosphorylation of the EGF receptor in A431 human epidermoid tumors grown as xenografts in immunodeficient nude mice. Following a single i.p. dose of 80 mg/kg, the drug levels in the plasma and tumor rose to 50 and 22 μM within 15 minutes. While the plasma levels of PD153035 fell below 1 μM by 3 hours, in the tumors it remained at micromolar concentrations for at least 12 hours. The tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor was rapidly suppressed by 80–90% in the tumors. However receptor phosphorylation returned to control levels after 3 hours despite the continued presence of the drug at concentrations which, based on previousin vitro results, were predicted to maintain inhibition. EGF-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity in tumor extracts was decreased and recovered in parallel with the effects of PD153035 on receptor phosphorylation though the activity had reached only about half of the control activity after three hours. These results demonstrate the potential for using small molecule inhibitors to inhibit the EGF receptor tyrosine kinasein vivo, though a fair evaluation of their potential anti-cancer activity will have to wait for solutions to problems with sustained delivery which may allow us to maintain suppression of EGF receptor phosphorylation.

The antitumor activity of [SP-4-3-(R)]-[1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato-(2-)](2 methyl-1,4-butanediamine-N,N′)platinum (CI-973) was characterized in a number of preclinical model systems. CI-973 retained substantial activity in cisplatin resistant murine leukemia cell lines, in vitro and in vivo; in L1210 leukemia resistant to cisplatin in vivo, CI-973 retained as much activity as was found in animals bearing sensitive L1210 leukemia. When compared in five solid murine tumors in vivo, both CI-973 and cisplatin were approximately equivalent in activity. In one human colon tumor and one human non-small cell lung carcinoma tested as xenografts in immunodeficient mice, cisplatin and CI-973 were ineffective. In two other human non-small cell lung carcinomas tested in the same fashion, cisplatin did possess activity. CI-973 has entered phase I clinical trials.

The cell cycle phase specificity of trimetrexate (CI-898) was examined. CHO cells synchronized by mitotic selection were exposed to 50 μM trimetrexate for 2 h at various time points after release from Colcemid block. Only S phase cells were sensitive to trimetrexate when survival was measured by a cloning assay. Comparison of plateau phase and log phase cultures indicated that plateau phase CHO cells were relatively insensitive to 5 μM trimetrexate. Exponentially growing L1210 cells were continuously exposed to either 30 nM or 3 nM trimetrexate and analyzed by DNA flow cytometry. Incubation with 30 nM trimetrexate produced cell cycle arrest in late G1 or early S phase, while exposure to 3 nM trimetrexate caused only a delay in progression through S phase. In an in vivo schedule dependence study with mice bearing approximately 3×106 P388 leukemia cells, trimetrexate was most effective with frequent administration. Mice treated on the optimal schedule, every 3 h×8 on days 1, 5, and 9 after tumor implant, had life-span increases in excess of 100%.

CI-940, PD 114,721, and PD 118,607 are structurally novel antibiotics, which were isolated from fermentation beers of a previously unknown actinomycete. They are highly lipophilic acids characterized by unsaturated lactone and branched, polyunsaturated aliphatic sidechain moieties. All three agents demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity in vitro against a number of human and mouse tumour lines which encompassed a wide range of tissue types. CI-940 retained full activity in vitro against lines of P388 leukemia that are resistant to Adriamycin, amsacrine, and mitoxantrone. Activity was confirmed for both CI-940 and PD 114,721 against a number of murine experimental tumor systems in vivo, which included the P388 and L1210 leukemias and also B16 melanoma, Ridgway osteogenic and M5076 sarcomas, and mammary adenocarcinoma 16/C. PD 118,607 was also highly active against B16 melanoma. All three agents demonstrated anticancer activity at very low dosages compared with current clinically useful anticancer agents. No significant activity was seen against the MX-1 human mammary xenograft or pancreas 02 tumor models. The primary target for host toxicity of CI-940 and PD 114,721 appeared to be gastrointestinal in nature. Neither CI-940 nor PD 114,721 caused delayed lethality when given either IP or IV. In schedule studies, the toxicities of both CI-940 and PD 114,721 were moderately dependent on the regimen used, with total maximum tolerated dosages for intermittent (q4dx2), daily (qdx5), and divided daily (q4hx3, qdx5) dosing schedules of 1, 0.25, and 0.12 mg/kg, respectively.

1.1. CI-920 is a structurally novel, phosphate-containing polyene lactone antitumor agent isolated from a previously undescribed subspecies of Streptomyces pulveraceus cultured from a Brazilian soil sample.2.2. CI-920 was active against murine leukemia P388, and highly active and curative against L1210 leukemia in vivo. CI-920 was less active or inactive against the murine solid tumors tested.3.3. Daily administration for five to nine days was more effective against L1210 leukemia than a single dose or doses every four days. Given three times daily for five days, CI-920 was more toxic and less active. CI-920 had similar activity intravenously and intraperitoneally. Oral administration was inactive and nontoxic. Subcutaneous treatment was less effective and more toxic.4.4. Structure-activity relationship studies showed that the phosphate group was essential for antitumor activity in vivo and in vitro. Hydrolyzing the lactone ring also resulted in loss of antitumor activity, as did acetylation of the 6-hydroxyl group. Hydroxylation at the 5-position of the lactone ring resulted in partial retention of antitumor activity, but in greater toxicity to mice. Removal of the 13-hydroxyl group resulted in retention of high antitumor activity with approximately three-fold improvement in dose-potency.5.5. CI-920 is not cytotoxic to prokaryotic cells.6.6. CI-920 causes inhibition of biosynthesis of RNA and DNA in intact L1210 cells. Protein synthesis is also inhibited at higher drug concentrations. The inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis is not an antimetabolite effect, since pools of ribonucleoside triphosphates and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates are not depleted.7.7. CI-920 does not cause DNA strand breakage, as measured by alkaline elution, and is not mutagenic in the Ames test at concentrations up to 200 μg/ml.8.8. CI-920 does not cause direct inhibition of RNA polymerase or DNA polymerase in permeabilized cells. It is possible that CI-920 must be metabolically activated within the target cells; alternatively it may interact with a component of chromatin other than DNA or the polymerases.9.9. Flow cytometry studies showed that growth-inhibitory levels of CI-920 caused accumulation of cells in the G2+M region. Higher drug concentrations caused an S-phase block.10.10. CI-920 is an inhibitor and irreversible inactivator of reduced folate membrane transport, and appears to enter cells by this receptor. L1210 cells selected for resistance to CI-920 are cross-resistant to methotrexate, and deficient in reduced folate transport. The requirement of CI-920 for carrier-mediated transport may explain its limited antitumor spectrum, since it is inactive against cells with low levels of the reduced folate receptor.11.11. CI-920 is highly active in the human tumor stem cell colony assay, particularly in tumor types that are sensitive to methotrexate.12.12. CI-920 is highly water-soluble. When formulated with four equivalents of sodium ascorbate, under nitrogen, CI-920 has satisfactory stability.13.13. Based upon its novel structure, unusual biochemical mechanism, and transport properties, its experimental antileukemic activity and activity in the human tumor clonogenic assay, it is planned to initiate clinical trials of CI-920.

Two compounds that bind to or intercalate with DNA (DNA binders), e.g., adriamycin and ‘dihydroxyanthracenedione’, 9,10-anthracenedione, 1,4-dihydroxy-5,8-bis[[2-[2-hydroxyethyl-amino]-ethyl]amino]-, dihydrochloride salt, consistently caused delayed lethality (20–200 days after treatment) if administered intraperitoneally (IP). Both of these agents contain para-hydroxyl groups in the ring adjacent to the quinone ring. Certain analogs of these compounds aclacinomycin A and ‘anthracenedione acetate’, 9,10-anthracenedione, 1,4-bis[[2-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]ethyl]amino]-, diacetate (salt), which do not contain para-hydroxyl groups, did not cause delayed deaths when injected IP. The only difference in the molecular structure (other than the nature of their amine salts) between dihydroxyanthracenedione and anthracenedione acetate lies in the para-hydroxyl groups in the ring adjacent to the quinone ring. Another compound that binds to DNA, m-AMSA, which has neither the quinone function nor the para-hydroxyl groups, did not cause delayed deaths after IP administration.