Abstract C085: OPN-6602, a dual EP300/CBP bromodomain inhibitor modulates androgen-driven transcription, including MYC, in mCRPC
Authors: Matusow Bernice , Spevak Wayne , Zhang Chao , Ma Yan , Shellooe Rafe , Li Peipei , Tsai James , Yu Chen Pan- , Singh Parmveer , Walling Jackie , Nichols Christine , Halladay Jason , Inokuchi Kerry , Habets Gaston , Bollag Gideon 
Published: December 2023

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains an urgent unmet medical need despite existing therapies that target androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Disease progression is commonly a result of acquired resistance to existing anti-androgen therapies. Biological models have revealed potential resistance mechanisms of CRPC through the reactivation of the AR pathway. Transcriptional coactivators CREB-binding protein (CBP) and E1A binding protein (EP300) are high value targets in mCRPC as they mediate androgen-dependent and -independent activity of the AR pathway. EP300 and CBP proteins harbor both histone acetyltransferase (HAT)- and bromo-domains, and the HAT activity of EP300 regulates AR function. EP300 bromodomain inhibition partially blocks its HAT activity, reducing AR-mediated gene expression and tumor growth. OPN-6602 and OPN-6742 are potent, selective, and orally active small molecule dual EP300/CBP bromodomain inhibitors which abrogate persistent AR signaling in CRPC by modulating H3K27 acetylation and the recruitment of EP300, AR full length (AR-FL), and AR variant 7 (AR-v7) to AR response elements. OPN-6602 and OPN-6742 obstruct the EP300 bromodomain leading to downregulation of the AR pathway and consequent anti-tumor effects in AR-dependent CRPC. OPN-6602 and OPN-6742 are highly selective (&gt;100-fold) against other bromodomains based on a screening panel of 40 bromodomains. Biochemical screens using AlphaScreen technology show these compounds to be equipotent against EP300 and CBP.  OPN-6602 is particularly potent by Surface Plasmon Resonance analysis, displaying a KD of 0.87 nM, with a fast association rate (1.5 E+06/Ms) and a slow dissociation rate (1.3 E-03/s).  Consequently, OPN-6602 displays a noteworthy residence time of 13 minutes. Both compounds show an AR-selective mode of action with anti-proliferative activity in AR-dependent prostate cancer cell lines (e.g. VCaP, LNCaP, and 22Rv-1) but are inactive against AR-negative prostate cancer cell lines (e.g. DU145). VCaP and mCRPC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) RNA profiling provides evidence of a marked, dose-dependent, pharmacodynamic response indicative of EP300/CBP inhibition. In the VCaP xenograft model, OPN-6602 and OPN-6742 show dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition and corresponding pharmacodynamic responses with prostate-specific antigen level decreases and decreased H3K27 acetylation. In the QR (AR-v7+) PDX model of CRPC (post-androgen deprivation therapy), a synergistic effect was observed between OPN-6602 and enzalutamide. This combination further modulates the expression of AR-driven transcripts such as MYC compared to single agent treatments. The pharmacokinetic profiles of OPN-6602 and OPN-6742 are favorable for oral single daily dose administration due to a high Cmax and short half-life. Due to its higher potency, OPN-6602 has been chosen as clinical candidate and a first-in-human study will start in 2024.

Citation Format: Bernice Matusow, Wayne Spevak, Chao Zhang, Yan Ma, Rafe Shellooe, Peipei Li, James Tsai, Pan- Yu Chen, Parmveer Singh, Jackie Walling, Christine Nichols, Jason Halladay, Kerry Inokuchi, Gaston Habets, Gideon Bollag. OPN-6602, a dual EP300/CBP bromodomain inhibitor modulates androgen-driven transcription, including MYC, in mCRPC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2023 Oct 11-15; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2023;22(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C085.