Discovery of 4-aryl-N-arylcarbonyl-2-aminothiazoles as Hec1/Nek2 inhibitors. Part I: optimization of in vitro potencies and pharmacokinetic properties

A series of 4-aryl-N-arylcarbonyl-2-aminothiazoles of scaffold 4 was designed and synthesized as Hec1/NEK2 inhibitors. Structural optimization of 4 led to compound 32 bearing C-4' 4-methoxyphenoxy and 4-(o-fluoropyridyl)carbonyl groups that showed low nanomolar in vitro antiproliferative activity (IC50: 16.3-42.7 nM), high intravenous AUC (64.9 μM·h, 2.0 mg/kg) in SD rats, and significant in vivo antitumor activity (T/C = 32%, 20 mg/kg, IV) in mice bearing human MDA-MB-231 xenografts. Cell responses resulting from Hec1/NEK2 inhibition were observed in cells treated with 32, including a reduced level of Hec1 coimmunoprecipitated with NEK2, degradation of NEK2, mitotic abnormalities, and Apoptosis. Compound 32 showed selectivity toward Cancer cells over normal phenotype cells and was inactive in a [(3)H]astemizole competitive binding assay for hERG liability screening. Therefore, 32 is as a good lead toward the discovery of a preclinical candidate targeting Hec1/NEK2 interaction.