Abstract 2695: Direct targeting of NOTCH transcription complex by a novel small molecule CB-103 circumvents dose-limiting toxicities associated with pan-NOTCH inhibitors
Authors: Lehal Rajwinder , Zaric Jelena , Vigolo Michele , Urech Charlotte , Murone Maximilien , Radtke Freddy 
Published: August 2019

NOTCH signalling is a key development pathway whose aberrant activation plays an onco-driver role in human cancers. In human tumors the NOTCH pathway can be activated by various genetic lesions such as over expression of ligands/receptors, GOF mutations in NOTCH receptors, chromosomal translocations, or loss-of-function mutations in the negative regulators of the pathway. Activation of NOTCH due to above mentioned mechanisms can be addressed in part using blocking antibodies against NOTCH ligands/receptors or small molecule inhibitors of the gamma secretase enzyme (GSIs). In addition to their limitations in targeting tumors harbouring chromosomal translocations in NOTCH receptors, the use of specific blocking antibodies against NOTCH receptors/ligands allows targeting of only a narrow spectrum of NOTCH positive tumors. On the other hand, GSIs act as pan-NOTCH inhibitors and thereby are able to target human tumors positive for NOTCH1-NOTCH4 receptors. However, clinical development of these pan-NOTCH inhibitors is hindered due to dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) associated with GSIs. The main DLTs associated with GSIs have been diarrhoea and vomiting due induction of goblet cell metaplasia in intestine, where NOTCH is known to regulate proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells. A sustained blockage of NOTCH signalling leads to an inhibition of stem cell proliferation and differentiation of stem cells into mucous producing goblet cells. The effect on stem cell proliferation and differentiation is mediated via a subset of specific NOTCH target genes. Effect on proliferation is mostly driven by downstream target genes such as HES1, 3, and 5, cMYC and BMI1. The effect on stem cell differentiation is predominantly mediated by repression of MATH1. Therefore, MATH1 upregulation upon NOTCH inhibition is a pre-requisite to induce goblet cell metaplasia. Given the role of NOTCH signalling in human cancers and DLTs associated with 1st and 2nd generation NOTCH targeting agents (GSIs and blocking Abs), there is a need to develop novel pan-NOTCH inhibitors able to circumvent these DLTs. We have previously reported discovery and development of a novel class of pan-NOTCH inhibitors that blocks signalling by directly targeting the NOTCH transcription complex.

Here we present further in vivo characterization of the development candidate CB-103. A comprehensive in vitro study demonstrated that CB-103 acts as a pan-NOTCH inhibitor. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies show that CB-103 circumvents DLTs, namely goblet cell metaplasia, associated with GSIs, due to the novel mode of action. We present molecular evidence that due to differential regulation of downstream target genes, CB-103 fully engages the NOTCH pathway in intestine and spares MATH1 gene repression and thereby does not cause goblet cell metaplasia.

Citation Format: Rajwinder Lehal, Jelena Zaric, Michele Vigolo, Charlotte Urech, Maximilien Murone, Freddy Radtke. Direct targeting of NOTCH transcription complex by a novel small molecule CB-103 circumvents dose-limiting toxicities associated with pan-NOTCH inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2695.