Modulators of HSP70/DnaK function and methods of use thereof

1. A method for treatment of neoplastic disease in vivo comprising co-administration of (i) a chemotherapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of temsirolimus, mechlorethamine, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, melphalan, chlorambucil, carmustine (BCNU), lomustine (CCNU), semustine (methyl-CCNU), Ethylenimine/Methylmelamine, thriethylenemelamine (TEM), triethylene thiophosphoramide (thiotepa), hexamethylmelamine (HMM), altretamine busulfan, dacarbazine (DTIC), methotrexate, trimetrexate, 5-fluorouracil, fluorodeoxyuridine, gemcitabine, cytosine arabinoside, 5-azacytidine, 2,2′-difluorodeoxycytidine, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, azathioprine, 2′-deoxycoformycin (pentostatin), erythrohydroxynonyladenine (EHNA), fludarabine phosphate, 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine, 2-CdA)), camptothecin, topotecan, irinotecan, paclitaxel, vinblastine (VLB), vincristine, and vinorelbine, Taxotere®, docetaxel, estramustine, estramustine phosphate, etoposide, teniposide, doxorubicin (adriamycin), mitoxantrone, idarubicin, bleomycins; plicamycin (mithramycin), mitomycinC, dactinomycin, L-asparaginase, interferon-alpha, IL-2, G-CSF, GM-CSF, retinoic acid derivatives, metronidazole, misonidazole, desmethylmisonidazole, pimonidazole, etanidazole, nimorazole, RSU 1069, E09, RB 6145, SR4233, nicotinamide, 5-bromodeozyuridine, 5-iododeoxyuridine, bromodeoxycytidine, cisplatin, carboplatin, mitoxantrone, hydroxyurea, N-methylhydrazine (MIH), procarbazine, aminoglutethimide, interferon β, interferon γ, interleukin-2, prednisone, dexamethasone, aminoglutethimide, hydroxyprogesterone caproate, medroxyprogesterone acetate, megestrol acetate, diethylstilbestrol, ethynyl estradiol, tamoxifen, testosterone propionate, fluoxymesterone, flutamide, leuprolide, hematoporphyrin derivatives, Photofrin®, benzoporphyrin derivatives, Npe6, tin etioporphyrin (SnET2), pheoboride-α, bacteriochlorophyll-a, naphthalocyanines, phthalocyanines, zinc phthalocyanines, bortezomib (Velcade®), epothilone, serratamolide, imatinib mesylate, dasatinib, nilotinib, MK-0457, and Omacetaxine, cetuximab, remicade and herceptin, and (ii) a compound of the formula

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, wherein R represents a radical selected from the group consisting of chloro, alkyl (C 1 -C 4 ), trifluoromethyl, amino, carboxy, hydroxyl and methoxy; R a and R b are the same or different and represent a radical selected from the group of hydrogen and alkyl (C 1 -C 6 ), said compound being effective to inhibit heat shock protein (HSP) 70 function, and wherein said neoplastic disease is selected from the group consisting of osterosarcoma, B-cell lymphoma, lung cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer, hepatoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said HSP70 function is selected from the group consisting of modulation of protein aggregation, chaperone protein binding, client protein binding, modulation of cellular stress response, modulation of autophagy, modulation of lysosomal functions, modulation of caspase cleavage, modulation of the proteasome system, reduced viability, modulation of anoikis, modulation of formation of detergent-insoluble subcellular complexes, modulation of NFκB activity, and modulation of vacuolization.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the patient to heat treatment.

4. A method for the treatment of neoplastic disease in a patient in need thereof comprising exposing cancer cells to effective amounts of radiation and a compound of the formula

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, wherein, R represents a substituent selected from the group consisting of chloro, alkyl (C 1 -C 4 ), trifluoromethyl, amino, carboxy, hydroxyl and methoxy; R a and R b are the same or different and represent a radical selected from the group of hydrogen and alkyl (C 1 -C 6 ), said radiation and said compound effectively killing cancer cells, and wherein said neoplastic disease is selected from the group consisting of osteorsarcoma, B-cell lymphoma, lung cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer, hepatoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said radiation is selected from the group consisting of x-rays, gamma rays, neutron radiation, external-beam therapy, internal radiation therapy, implant radiation, brachytherapy, and systemic radiation.

6. The method of claim 4 , optionally further comprising administration of an agent selected from the group consisting of herceptin, cetuximab and remicade.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said compound disrupts HSP70 binding to at least one chaperone protein selected from the group consisting of CHIP, HSP40, and BAG-1M isoform.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said compound disrupts HSP70 binding to at least one client protein selected from the group consisting of APAF-1, p53, LAMP-2, integrin α5, integrin β1, SV40 T antigen, and HSP90 client protein.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said chemotherapeutic agent and said compound are administered simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said chemotherapeutic agent and said compound are administered sequentially.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said chemotherapeutic agent and said compound are administered via a route selected from the group consisting of intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, rectal, intraocular, intrasynovial, transepithelial, transdermal, ophthalmic, sublingual, buccal, topically and inhalation via insufflation aerosol.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising co-administration of an HSP 90 inhibitor.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said HSP90 client protein is selected from the group consisting of EGFR, HER2/ErbB2, AKT.

14. A method of claim 1 comprising administration of the compound of the formula:

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein said HSP70 function is selected from the group consisting of modulation of protein aggregation, chaperone protein binding, client protein binding, modulation of cellular stress response, modulation of autophagy, modulation of lysosomal functions, modulation of NFκB activity, modulation of caspase cleavage, modulation of the proteasome system, reduced viability, modulation of anoikis, modulation of formation of detergent-insoluble subcellular complexes, and modulation of vacuolization.

16. The method of claim 4 , wherein said compound disrupts HSP70 binding to at least one chaperone protein selected from the group consisting of CHIP, HSP40, and BAG-1M isoform.

17. The method of claim 4 , wherein said compound disrupts HSP70 binding to at least one client protein selected from the group consisting of APAF-1, p53, LAMP-2, integrin α5, integrin β1, SV40 T antigen, and HSP90 client protein.

18. The method of claim 4 , further comprising co-administration of an HSP 90 inhibitor.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said HSP90 client protein is selected from the group consisting of EGFR, HER2/ErbB2, AKT.

20. A method of claim 4 comprising administration of the compound of the formula:

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.