Abstract 4973: Discovery of LY3214996, a selective and novel ERK1/2 inhibitor with potent antitumor activities in cancer models with MAPK pathway alterations

The RAS/MAPK pathway is dysregulated in approximately 30% of human cancers, and the extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK1 and ERK2) serves as key central nodes within this pathway. The feasibility and clinical impact of targeting the RAS/MAPK pathway has been demonstrated by the therapeutic success of BRAF and MEK inhibitors in BRAF V600E/K metastatic melanoma. However, resistance develops frequently through reactivation of the pathway. Therefore, simultaneous targeting of multiple effectors such as RAF, MEK and ERK in this pathway, offers a potential for enhanced efficacy while delaying and overcoming resistance. LY3214996 is a highly selective inhibitor of ERK1 and ERK2, with IC50 of 5 nM for both enzymes in biochemical assays. It potently inhibits cellular phospho-RSK1 in BRAF and RAS mutant cancer cell lines. In an unbiased tumor cell panel sensitivity profiling for inhibition of cell proliferation, tumor cells with MAPK pathway alterations including BRAF, NRAS or KRAS mutation are generally sensitivity to LY3214996. In tumor xenograft models, LY3214996 inhibits PD biomarker phospho-p90RSK1 in tumors and the PD effects are correlated with compound exposures and anti-tumor activities. LY3214996 shows either similar or superior anti-tumor activity as compared to other published ERK inhibitors in BRAF or RAS mutant cell lines and xenograft models. Oral administration of single-agent LY3214996 significantly inhibits tumor growth in vivo and is well tolerated in BRAF or NRAS mutant melanoma, BRAF or KRAS mutant colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer xenografts or PDX models. Therefore, LY3214996 can be tailored for treatment of cancers with MAPK pathway alteration. In addition, LY3214996 has anti-tumor activity in a vemurafenib-resistant A375 melanoma xenograft model due to MAPK reactivation, may have potential for treatment of melanoma patients who have failed BRAF therapies. More importantly, LY3214996 can be combined with investigational and approved agents in preclinical models, particularly KRAS mutant models. Combination treatment of LY3214996 and CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib was well tolerated and results in potent tumor growth inhibition or regression in multiple in vivo cancer models, including KRAS mutant colorectal and non-small cell lung cancers. Here, we first report the preclinical characterization of LY3214996, a novel small molecule ERK1/2 inhibitor currently in Phase I clinical trials in patients with advanced and metastatic cancers (NCT02857270). Citation Format: Shripad V. Bhagwat, William T. McMillen, Shufen Cai, Baohui Zhao, Matthew Whitesell, Lisa Kindler, Robert S. Flack, Wenjuan Wu, Karen Huss, Bryan Anderson, Xiu-Juan Yuan, Susan Jaken, Denis McCann, Brian Mathes, Andrew J. Dropsey, Jason Manro, Jennie Walgren, Eunice Yuen, Xueqian Gong, Michael J. Rodriguez, Jianping Huang, Ramon V. Tiu, Sajan Joseph, Sheng-Bin Peng. Discovery of LY3214996, a selective and novel ERK1/2 inhibitor with potent antitumor activities in cancer models with MAPK pathway alterations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4973. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4973