IP Library Granted Patent US 12,570,661
Granted Patent B2
US 12,570,661 · App. 17/923,819 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Isoform-specific aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors

Inventors: James Kenneth Chen (Stanford, CA); Zhiping Feng (Stanford, CA); Marisa E. Hom (Stanford, CA); Toni Kline (Stanford, CA); Cody R. Marshall (Stanford, CA); Alison E. Ondrus (Stanford, CA)
Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
C07D487/04A61P35/00C07D491/147
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,570,661
App. No.
17/923,819
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Compounds and methods are provided for inhibiting an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Methods of treating cancer are also provided. The ALDH-inhibitor can be a compound that is based on a cyclic guanidine, or an imidazolium core. In certain embodiments, the ALDH-inhibitor compound is a substituted cyclic guanidine, or a substituted imidazolium compound. Aspects of the methods include methods of selectively inhibiting a particular ALDH family member. In some cases, the subject compounds are ALDH1B1-selective inhibitors. In some cases, the subject compounds are ALDH1A3-selective inhibitors.

Claims (58)

1 . A compound of the formula (II):

wherein:

each ------ represents a C—C bond, wherein one or more of the C—C bonds is optionally unsaturated;

R 1 and R 3 are each independently selected from aryl, substituted aryl;

R 2 is selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxyl, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, substituted amino, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, and substituted cycloalkyl;

R 4 is an optional substituent selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, hydroxy, carbonyl, amino, substituted amino, halogen, nitrile, nitro, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, and substituted carboxy;

n is an integer from 0 to 10; and

m is an integer from 0 to 2, wherein if m is 0, then n is an integer from 0 to 6, and if m is 1, then n is an integer from 0 to 8; or

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, or prodrug thereof.

2 . The compound of claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula (II) is of one formulae (IIA)-(IIG):

wherein n and n1 are each an integer from 0 to 6.

3 . The compound of claim 1 , of the formula (III):

wherein:

each ------ represents a C—C bond, wherein one or more of the C—C bonds is optionally unsaturated; R 2 is selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxyl, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, substituted amino, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, and substituted cycloalkyl;

R 5 -R 12 are each independently selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, nitro, nitrile, amino, substituted amino, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, and substituted cycloalkyl; or

any two adjacent R 5 -R 12 groups together with the atoms to which they are attached form an optionally substituted cyclic group;

R 4 is an optional substituent selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, hydroxy, carbonyl, amino, substituted amino, halogen, nitrile, nitro, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, and substituted carboxy;

n is an integer from 0 to 10; and

m is an integer from 0 to 2, wherein if m is 0, then n is an integer from 0 to 6, and if m is 1, then n is an integer from 0 to 8.

4 . The compound of claim 3 , wherein R 5 -R 12 are each independently selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, nitro, amino, substituted amino, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, and substituted carboxy.

5 . The compound of claim 3 , of the formula (IV):

wherein:

each ------ represents a C—C bond, wherein one or more of the C—C bonds is optionally unsaturated;

R 2 is selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxyl, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, substituted amino, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, and substituted cycloalkyl;

R 9 and R 10 are independently selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, and substituted amino;

R 7 and R 12 are each independently selected from H, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, and substituted amino;

R 4 is an optional substituent selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, hydroxy, amino, substituted amino, halogen, nitrile, nitro, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, and substituted carboxy;

n is an integer from 0 to 10; and

m is an integer from 0 to 2, wherein if m is 0, then n is an integer from 0 to 6, and if m is 1, then n is an integer from 0 to 8.

6 . The compound of claim 5 , wherein:

R 9 and R 10 are independently selected from H, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, and substituted amino; and

R 7 and R 12 are each independently selected from H, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, and substituted amino.

7 . The compound of claim 5 , of the formula (VA) or (VB):

wherein:

each ------ represents a C—C bond, wherein one or more of the C—C bonds is optionally unsaturated;

R 2 is selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxyl, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, substituted amino, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, and substituted cycloalkyl;

R 9 is selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, and substituted amino;

R 7 , and R 13 -R 15 are each independently selected from H, aryl, substituted aryl, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, and substituted amino;

R 4 is an optional substituent selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, hydroxy, amino, substituted amino, halogen, nitrile, nitro, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, and substituted carboxy;

n is an integer from 0 to 10; and

m is an integer from 0 to 2, wherein if m is 0, then n is an integer from 0 to 6, and if m is 1, then n is an integer from 0 to 8.

8 . The compound of claim 7 , wherein each ------ C—C bond is a single bond.

9 . The compound of claim 7 , wherein one ------ C—C bonds bond is a double bond, and the remaining ------ C—C bonds are single bonds.

10 . The compound of claim 7 , wherein:

R 9 , R 13 , and R 15 are independently selected from H, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, and substituted amino; and

R 7 and R 14 are each independently selected from H, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, acyl, substituted acyl, carboxy, substituted carboxy, amino, and substituted amino.

11 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising:

a compound of claim 1 ; and

a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

12 . A method of inhibiting an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the method comprising:

contacting a sample comprising an ALDH with a compound of claim 1 to inhibit the ALDH.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the compound selectively inhibits an isoform of ALDH.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the ALDH isoform is ALDH1B1.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the ALDH isoform is ALDH1A3.

16 . A method of treating a subject having cancer, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cancer is a solid tumor cancer, and the administering inhibits the tumor growth.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cancer is colorectal cancer.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cancer is breast cancer, melanoma, or glioblastoma.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Aug 8, 2023
From: STANFORD UNIVERSITY
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 064523/0848 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2022
From: CHEN, JAMES KENNETH; FENG, ZHIPING; HOM, MARISA E.; KLINE, TONI; MARSHALL, CODY R.; ONDRUS, ALISON E.
To: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 061772/0752 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63174250 · Apr 13, 2021
Provisional Application 63040873 · Jun 18, 2020
Related Publication 20230174537A1 · Jun 8, 2023
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