Discovery of 8-Membered Ring Sulfonamides as Inhibitors of Oncogenic Mutant Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1

Evidence suggests that specific mutations of isocitrate dehydrogenases 1 and 2 (IDH1/2) are critical for the initiation and maintenance of certain tumor types and that inhibiting these mutant Enzymes with small molecules may be therapeutically beneficial. In order to discover mutant allele-selective IDH1 inhibitors with chemical features distinct from existing probes, we screened a collection of small molecules derived from diversity-oriented synthesis. The assay identified compounds that inhibit the IDH1-R132H mutant allele commonly found in glioma. Here, we report the discovery of a potent (IC₅₀ = 50 nM) series of IDH1-R132H inhibitors having 8-membered ring sulfonamides as exemplified by the compound BRD2879. The inhibitors suppress (R)-2-hydroxyglutarate production in cells without apparent toxicity. Although the solubility and pharmacokinetic properties of the specific inhibitor BRD2879 prevent its use in vivo, the scaffold presents a validated starting point for the synthesis of future IDH1-R132H inhibitors having improved pharmacological properties.