Identification of Thiourea-Based Inhibitors of the B‑Cell Lymphoma 6 BTB Domain via NMR-Based Fragment Screening and Computer-Aided Drug Design

Protein–protein interactions (PPI) between the transcriptional repressor B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) BTB domain (BCL6BTB) and its corepressors have emerged as a promising target for anticancer therapeutics. However, identification of potent, drug-like inhibitors of BCL6BTB has remained challenging. Using NMR-based screening of a library of fragment-like small molecules, we have identified a thiourea compound (7CC5) that binds to BCL6BTB. From this hit, the application of computer-aided drug design (CADD), medicinal chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography has yielded an inhibitor, 15f, that demonstrated over 100-fold improved potency for BCL6BTB. This gain in potency was achieved by a unique binding mode that mimics the binding mode of the corepressor SMRT in the aromatic and the HDCH sites. The structure–activity relationship based on these new inhibitors will have a significant impact on the rational design of novel BCL6 inhibitors, facilitating the identification of therapeutics for the treatment of BCL6-dependent tumors.