Discovery of novel 2-aminopyridine derivatives as ROS1 and ALK dual inhibitors to combat drug-resistant mutants including ROS1(G2032R) and ALK(G1202R)

Clinical treatment by FDA-approved ROS1/ALK inhibitor Crizotinib significantly improved the therapeutic outcomes. However, the emergence of drug resistance, especially driven by acquired mutations, have become an inevitable problem and worsened the clinical effects of Crizotinib. To combat drug resistance, some novel 2-aminopyridine derivatives were designed rationally based on molecular simulation, then synthesised and subjected to biological test. The preferred spiro derivative C01 exhibited remarkable activity against CD74-ROS1(G2032R) cell with an IC(50) value of 42.3 nM, which was about 30-fold more potent than Crizotinib. Moreover, C01 also potently inhibited enzymatic activity against clinically Crizotinib-resistant ALK(G1202R), harbouring a 10-fold potency superior to Crizotinib. Furthermore, molecular dynamic disclosed that introducing the spiro group could reduce the steric hindrance with bulky side chain (Arginine) in solvent region of ROS1(G2032R), which explained the sensitivity of C01 to drug-resistant mutant. These results indicated a path forward for the generation of anti Crizotinib-resistant ROS1/ALK dual inhibitors.