IP Library Granted Patent US 12,365,706
Granted Patent B2
US 12,365,706 · App. 17/783,224 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Macrocyclic peptides as potent inhibitors of K-RAS G12D mutant

Inventors: Nicolas C. Boyer (Somerville, MA); Michael B. Garrigou (Newton, MA); Sookhee Nicole Ha (Lewisville, TX); Chunhui Huang (Arlington, MA); Anthony W. Partridge (Cambridge, MA); Tomi K. Sawyer (Southborough, MA); Pietro Aronica (Singapore, SG); Charles W. Johannes (Singapore, SG); Srinivasaraghavan Kannan (Singapore, SG); Chandra S. Verma (Singapore, SG); Tsz Ying Yuen (Singapore, SG)
Assignees: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC; MSD International GMBH (Singapore Branch); Agency for Science, Technology and Research
C07K7/08A61P35/00A61K38/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,365,706
App. No.
17/783,224
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides compounds of the Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein the variables are as described herein. The compounds or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts can inhibit the G12D mutant of Kirsten rat sarcoma (K-Ras) protein and are expected to have utility as therapeutic agents, for example, for treating cancer. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions which comprise compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The invention also relates to methods for use of the compounds or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts in the therapy and prophylaxis of cancer and for preparing pharmaceuticals for this purpose.

Claims (43)

1. A compound of Formula (I)

wherein:

R 6a and R 6b are independently H, C 1 -C 3 alkyl, fluoro, —NH 2 , azido, hydroxy, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, or —OR 6c , wherein R 6c is allyl, propargyl, or benzyl;

or R 6a and R 6b , together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached, form a 3- to 6-membered cycloalkyl ring which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 C 1 -C 3 alkyl;

R 7 is C 1 -C 7 alkyl or —C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;

R 8 is C 6 -C 10 aryl or indolyl, wherein said C 6 -C 10 aryl or indolyl of R 8 is optionally (i) substituted by one C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 fluoroalkyl, hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 fluoroalkoxy, phenyl, or benzyloxy and (ii) optionally substituted by 1 to 5 halogens;

R 10a is-CH 2 OH, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, or —CH 2 —R 10c , wherein R 10c is C 6 -C 10 heteroaryl or C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;

R 10b is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl;

or R 10a and R 10b together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a 3- to 6-membered cycloalkyl ring, wherein said 3- to 6-membered cycloalkyl is optionally fused to phenyl;

R 11a and R 11b are independently H, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C 10 aryl, or 5- to 9-membered heteroaryl, wherein said C 6 -C 10 aryl or 5- to 9-membered heteroaryl of R 11a or R 11b is optionally substituted by (i) 1 hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 fluoroalkyl, or C 1 -C 6 fluoroalkoxy and (ii) 1 to 5 halogens;

R 14 is C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —CH 2 CH 2 CO 2 H, —C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, or —CH 2 —R 14a , wherein R 14a is C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;

R 15a and R 15b are independently H or C 1 -C 3 alkyl;

X is methylene;

R 0 is:

(i) H,

(ii) Ac-Lys (N 3 ),

(iii) R 0a C(O)— wherein R 0a is C 1 -C 6 alkyl or C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;

(iv) a Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) moiety; or

(v) a group of the formula:

R 20 is:

(i) —OH;

(ii) OR 20a , wherein R 20a is C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

(iii)-NH 2 ;

(iv) —N(H) R 20a ;

(v) —N(R 20a )(R 20b ), wherein R 20b is C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or alternatively, R 20a and R 20b together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 3- to 6-membered heterocycloalkyl ring or

(vi) a CPP moiety;

or alternatively, R 0 and R 20 join to form a second ring via an amide linkage;

the moiety —X 1 —X 2 —X 3 —X 4 — is (D-Arg) 4 ; and

the moiety —X 16 —X 17 —X 18 —X 19 — is (D-Arg) 4 ;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 0 is acetyl.

3. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 20 is —NH 2 .

4. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 6a and R 6b are both H.

5. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 7 is —C(H)(CH 3 ) 2 .

6. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 8 is 4-hydroxyphenyl.

7. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 10a is —CH 2 OH and R 10b is H.

8. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 11a is 4-hydroxyphenyl and R 11b is H.

9. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 14 is —C(H)(CH 3 ) 2 .

10. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 15a and R 15b are both H.

11. The compound of claim 1 selected from one of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 70, 71, 73-75, 77-79, 81, 82, and 86 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

12. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

13. A method of inhibiting K-Ras protein, comprising contacting the K-Ras protein with an amount of the compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to inhibit the activity of the K-Ras protein.

14. A method of treating cancer, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to a subject in need of such treatment.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: ARONICA, PIETRO; JOHANNES, CHARLES W; KANNAN, SRINIVASARAGHAVAN; VERMA, CHANDRA S; YUEN, TSZ YING
To: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
Reel/Frame 060131/0248 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: PARTRIDGE, ANTHONY W
To: MSD INTERNATIONAL GMBH (SINGAPORE BRANCH)
Reel/Frame 060131/0311 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC
Reel/Frame 060131/0471 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: BOYER, NICOLAS C.; GARRIGOU, MICHAEL B.; HA, SOOKHEE NICOLE; HUANG, CHUNHUI; SAWYER, TOMI K.
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
Reel/Frame 060392/0877 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62949705 · Dec 18, 2019
Related Publication 20230083431A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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