Abstract 1968: Discovery of a highly potent and selective FGFR2 inhibitor for FGFR2-driven cancers
Authors: Li Wenqian , Liu Bin , Wang Junmei , Yin Tinggui , Yu Kuo-Long , Kumar Sanjeev , Wen Zhiming , Zhao Genshi , Pan Weitao 
Published: March 2024

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is a clinically validated target and frequently altered in many solid tumors. The resulting oncogenic driver alterations often drive multiple solid tumors. Therefore, targeting FGFR2 has broad therapeutic potential. Currently, only pan-FGFR inhibitors are approved for FGFR2-driven intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, but not for other FGFR2-driven cancers. Due to the severe on-target toxicity associated with inhibition of FGFR1 and FGFR4, the use of the pan-FGFR inhibitors has been very limited. Thus, developing a selective FGFR2 inhibitor addresses the unmet medical need as the treatment options for FGFR2-altered cancers remain limited. Here we report the discovery and characterization of a highly selective FGFR2 inhibitor, ACE-16229210. This molecule potently inhibits FGFR2 (IC50 = 6.2 nM) and exhibits excellent selectivity (&gt;133-fold) over other FGFR1 and FGFR4 in biochemical assays. It also potently (IC50 &lt;1 nM) and selectively (≥500-fold) inhibits FGFR2-induced ERK phosphorylation in multiple cancer cell lines harboring FGFR2 fusions, amplification, and mutations, but not those harboring FGFR1, FGFR3, or FGFR4 genetic alterations (IC50 &gt; 460 nM). Furthermore, this molecule, when evaluated in a panel of 24 cell lines, demonstrates potent anti-proliferative activity against the cell lines harboring FGFR2, but not FGFR3, and especially FGFR1, or FGFR4 genetic alterations. Thus, ACE-16229210 is a potent and selective FGFR2 inhibitor. Interestingly, it exhibits the most potent activity against gatekeeper and molecular brake mutations followed by fusions, amplification, and activation loop mutations. This molecule shows a robust broad spectrum of antitumor activity with significant tumor regression at low doses (1-10 mg/kg) in several tumor xenograft and PDX models representing the major FGFR2 relevant tumor histologies including gastric, breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers harboring clinically important FGFR2 driver alterations with a well-defined pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship. This molecule also demonstrates strong synergistic effects when combined with irinotecan and fulvestrant in a gastric tumor model and a breast cancer PDX model harboring FGFR2 amplification, respectively. Finally, ACE-16229210 did not significantly affect serum phosphorus levels in animals at the exposure levels that are &gt;100-fold higher than the efficacious AUC, further confirming its excellent selectivity over FGFR1. Taken together, these in vitro and in vivo studies show that ACE-16229210 is a potent and selective FGFR2 inhibitor with the potential to be developed into a more effective treatment option for multiple cancers harboring FGFR2 oncogenic driver alterations.

Citation Format: Wenqian Li, Bin Liu, Junmei Wang, Tinggui Yin, Kuo-Long Yu, Sanjeev Kumar, Zhiming Wen, Genshi Zhao, Weitao Pan. Discovery of a highly potent and selective FGFR2 inhibitor for FGFR2-driven cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1968.