Development of REDX05194, a Novel, Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) As a Potential Treatment for B-Cell Malignancies

The B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway is required for the survival, activation, proliferation and differentiation of B-cells. Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) is a member of the Tec protein tyrosine kinase family that has emerged as an attractive target for the treatment of B-cell malignancies due to the critical role it plays in BCR signaling. Redx Oncology has developed novel differentiated small molecule inhibitors of BTK, combining current best-in-class potency with distinct selectivity profiles, which are suitable for oral once daily dosing. Here we present REDX05194, the result of a successful lead optimization of our proprietary BTK inhibitor series.

REDX05194 is a highly selective, covalent BTK inhibitor displaying subnanomolar binding affinity for BTK (0.39 nM) and nanomolar potency towards BTK in a biochemical assay (3.67 nM). In cell proliferation assays, REDX05194 showed significant in vitro potency against ABC-DLBCL cell lines inhibiting the growth of both TMD-8 (0.89 nM) and OCI-Ly10 (1.36 nM) cells. Analysis of BCR signaling in several lymphoma cell lines, including cell lines of ABC-DLBCL, MCL and FL origin, revealed that treatment with REDX05194 inhibits BTK autophosphorylation and downstream activation of PLCγ2. In human PBMCs, REDX05194 inhibited anti-IgM stimulated upregulation of the CD69 activation marker in CD19 positive B-cells. In addition, using a fluorescent probe that binds to BTK, occupancy of BTK in PBMCs has been demonstrated in response to increasing concentrations of REDX05194.

To assess selectivity, 456 kinases were screened at 1 μM, confirming that REDX05194 does not significantly inhibit other kinases involved in BCR signaling (e.g. Syk, Lyn). Furthermore, REDX05194 was shown to have high selectivity versus structurally related cysteine-containing kinases such as ITK in binding assays, and EGFR as demonstrated in both binding and cellular assays. REDX05194 also has a favorable in vitro safety profile and drug-like properties, displaying an improved CYP profile and solubility compared to competitor compounds.

REDX05194 demonstrated in vivo efficacy in a mouse collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. At 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg QD, REDX05194 significantly improved all clinical readouts, including disease severity, compared to the vehicle group. Histological data showed that approximately 1/3 of the mice had no or minimal pannus infiltration and no bone resorption, or had bone resorption restricted to small areas. These findings demonstrate potential clinical efficacy and a dose response.

In conclusion, REDX05194 is a highly selective and potent BTK inhibitor with proven efficacy in several lymphoma cell lines and human PBMCs and in vivo efficacy demonstrated in a mouse CIA model.