Optically pure apogossypol derivative as pan-active inhibitor of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (BCL-2)

1. A compound of Formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, specifically where both carbon chiral centers have the R configuration and the atropoisomer along the bi-naphthylene bond is (—).

2. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the compound of Formula I of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

3. A method for treating cancer, the method comprising the step of administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of Formula I of claim 1 , thereby treating the disease or the disorder and wherein the cancer is lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, hepatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, melanomas, leukemia, or lymphomas.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the treatment includes inhibition of activity of at least one BCL-2 family protein.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising administering the compound of Formula I in combination with an anti-cancer agent.

6. A method of treating cancer in a subject having at least one elevated BCL-2 family protein expression level, the method comprising the step of administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of Formula I of claim 1 and wherein the cancer is lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, hepatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, melanomas, leukemia, or lymphomas.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining whether the subject is responsive to a therapy that utilizes the compound or composition, comprising determining the level of at least one of the BCL-2 family protein in the subject and comparing to a normal control sample, wherein an elevated level is indicative of a subject responsive to the therapy.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determination is made based on a sample from the subject.

9. A method of determining whether a subject is responsive to a therapy that utilizes of the compound of Formula I of claim 1 , the method comprising the step of determining the level of at least one of the BCL-2 family protein in the subject having cancer and comparing to a normal control sample, wherein an elevated level is indicative of a subject responsive to the therapy and wherein the cancer is lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, hepatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, melanomas, leukemia, or lymphomas.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determination is made based on a sample from the subject.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sample is a biological fluid or tumor sample.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the BCL-2 family polynucleotide or polypeptide is selected from BCL-2, BCL-XL, BCL-W, MCL-1, and BCL-Al.

13. A method of inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell having a level of at least one of the BCL-2 family protein member greater than levels in a control cell, the method comprising the step of administering to the cell an effective amount of the compound of Formula I of claim 1 , to reduce the level of BCL-2 family protein(s) and induce apoptosis in the cell and wherein the cancer is lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, hepatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, melanomas, leukemia, or lymphomas.

14. A method of determining the effectiveness of a therapeutic regimen including administration of the compound of Formula I of claim 1 , the method comprising the step of comparing the level of a BCL-2 family protein in a cell of the subject having cancer prior to and during treatment with the compound or composition, wherein a decreased level of BCL-2 family protein is indicative of effectiveness of the therapy that utilizes the compound or composition and wherein the cancer is lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, hepatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, melanomas, leukemia, or lymphomas.

15. A method of preparing the compound of Formula 1:

or a pharmaceutically salt thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

a) coupling the racemic carboxylic acid 6 with optically pure chiral amine (R)-(+)-β-methylphenethylamine in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3′-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDCI) to provide atropoisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 7;

b) demethylating atropoisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 7 with boron tribromide to provide atropisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 9; and

c) resolving atropisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 9 using liquid chiral column chromatography to provide the compound of Formula I.

16. A method for isolating the atropisomers of the compound of Formula II:

the method comprising the steps of:

a) (R)) coupling the racemic carboxylic acid 6 with optically pure chiral amine (R)-(+)-β-methylphenethylamine in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3′-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDCI) to provide atropoisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 7, and a (S)) coupling the racemic carboxylic acid 6 with optically pure chiral amine (S)-(−)-β-methylphenethylamine in the presence of EDCI to provide atropoisomer compound (S, +/−, S) 8;

b) demethylating atropoisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 7 and atropoisomer compound (S, +/−, S) 8 with boron tribromide to provide atropisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 9 and atropisomer compound (S, +/−, S) 10, respectively; and

c) resolving atropisomer compound (R, +/−, R) 9 and atropisomer compound (S, +/−, S) 10 using liquid chiral column chromatography to provide the atropisomers of the compound of Formula II, namely (R, −, R) 11, (R, +, R) 12, (S, −, S) 13, and (S, +, S) 14.