A New Genus of Ubiquitin-Based Anti-inflammatories for COPD

描述（由申请人提供）：慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）是美国第三大死亡原因，但目前还没有可以减缓或预防疾病进展的治疗方法。慢性阻塞性肺病的一个病理特征是存在生物活性介质（如基质金属蛋白酶（MMPs）和炎性小体衍生细胞因子（IL-1））的持续作用，这些活性介质产生慢性、持续的气道炎症和损伤，从而促进疾病的病理生物学。我们最近发现了一种新的免疫途径，通过蛋白质泛素化，促炎蛋白FBXO3深刻地触发细胞分泌细胞因子（Nature Immunology 14:47 - 9,2013）。通过靶向FBXO3，我们开发了一个新的小分子抑制剂属。我们的试点数据表明：(i)我们的先导药物BC-1261在香烟烟雾暴露（CSE）诱导的COPD小鼠模型中减少循环细胞因子，肺泡炎症，并预防肺气肿；（ii） FBXO3抑制剂抑制CSE诱导的MMP和炎性体活性；（iii）与野生型FBXO3相比，我们进行了靶标验证，与野生型FBXO3相比，具有天然保护性功能低下的FBXO3多态性（FBXO3V221I）的COPD受试者细胞因子水平降低。气肿较轻，病情进展缓慢。因此，我们将把BC-1261描述为一种新的抗炎化学实体，用于COPD临床前模型（UH2成分），并证明BC-1261在体内使用时具有最佳的安全性和药物产品特征（UH3成分）。该应用揭示了COPD发病机制的新分子靶点（FBXO3）和针对COPD泛素-蛋白酶体系统的独特的一流化合物。这些研究的实施将成为药物开发计划的基础，该计划将导致炎症治疗的根本性、改变范式的治疗进展，从而导致IND应用，为COPD受试者的新转化倡议奠定基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the US, yet currently there exist no treatments that can slow or prevent disease progression. A pathognomonic feature of COPD is the presence of sustained actions of bioactive mediators (e.g. matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs), and inflammasome-derived cytokines (IL-1 ¿)) that produce chronic, unrelenting, airway inflammation and injury thereby contributing to the pathobiology of disease. We recently discovered a novel pathway for immunity through protein ubiquitination whereby a pro-inflammatory protein, called FBXO3 profoundly triggers cytokine secretion from cells (Nature Immunology 14:470-9, 2013). By targeting FBXO3, we developed a novel genus of small molecule inhibitors. Our pilot data indicate that (i) our lead drug, BC-1261, reduces circulating cytokines, alveolar inflammation, and prevents emphysema in a cigarette smoke exposure (CSE)-induced COPD murine model, (ii) that FBXO3 inhibitors inhibit CSE induced MMP and inflammasome activity, and that (iii) we have target validation where compared to wild-type FBXO3, COPD subjects with a naturally occurring protective, hypofunctional FBXO3 polymorphism (FBXO3V221I) have reduced cytokine levels, less severe emphysema, and disease progression. Hence, we will characterize BC-1261 as a new anti-inflammatory chemical entity for use in COPD preclinical models (UH2 Component), and demonstrate that BC-1261 exerts an optimal safety and drug product profile for in vivo use (UH3 Component). This application unveils a new molecular target (FBXO3) underlying COPD pathogenesis and a unique first-in-class compound targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system for COPD. Execution of these studies will be the basis of a drug development program that will lead to a fundamental, paradigm-changing therapeutic advance for treatment of inflammation leading to an IND application setting the stage for a new translational initiative in COPD subjects.