Discovery of Potent, Selective Stem Cell Factor Receptor/Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor Alpha (c-KIT/PDGFRα) Dual Inhibitor for the Treatment of Imatinib-Resistant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs)

Stem cell factor receptor (c-KIT)
and platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) kinases
play an important role in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).
Here, we have discovered an c-KIT/PDGFRα dual inhibitor, compound 31, with single-digit nanomolar potency against c-KIT and
PDGFRα. Compared to Imatinib (1), 31 showed better antiproliferative efficacy against various TEL-c-KIT/PDGFRα-BaF3
isogenic cells, including three 1-resistant BaF3 cell
lines, as well as against GIST-T1 and GIST-882 cell lines. Furthermore,
compound 31 showed a good KinomeScan selectivity (468
kinases) (S score (1) = 0.01 at 1 μM concentration),
good metabolic stability in liver microsomes, and no hERG inhibitory
activity. It was worth noting that 31 inhibited GIST-T1
tumor growth (TGI = 81.5%) and even the BaF3-TEL-cKIT-T670I tumor
progression (TGI = 41.9%, 1-resistant GISTs) at a dosage
of 100 mg/kg/day without exhibiting apparent toxicity.