NZ623119B2 - Treating pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer with atr inhibitors - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is the use of ATR inhibitors 821 and 822 in combination with gemcitabine and/or radiation therapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Further provided is the use of ATR inhibitors 821 and 822 in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin; and/or etoposide; and/or ionizing radiation for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. he treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Description

TREATING PANCREATIC CANCER AND NON~SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER WITH ATR TORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION {0001] Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most common site ofnew cancers and is responsible for 6% of all cancer related deaths. The 5—year survival rate is less than Current therapies involve either neoadjuvant treatment with chemotherapy (e.g., with abine) and / or radiation therapy or al removal followed by either adjuvant chemotherapy (e.g., with gemcitabine) or radiation therapy. Although the survival rate with ent of gemcitabine increases the 5—year survival from % to 20%, there still is a strong need for better therapies for treating pancreatic cancer.

Several eutics have been tested in phase II and phase III trials though results have not been too promising. Tipifarnib, an oral famesyltransferase inhibitor, did not show significant improvement in overall survival when combined with gemcitabine. Similarly, cetuximab, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGRF), also showed no clinical benefit when combined with gemcitabine. Only a small increase in overall survival (6.24 months versus 5.91 months) was observed.

Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for about 85% of all lung cancer cases.

Most patients present with advanced stage III or IV NSCLC with a 5—year survival of 24% and 4% respectively. Because of the advanced nature of disease on tation, surgical ion is often not an option. For the ty of patients therapy involves chemotherapy and / or radiation treatment. The selection of chemotherapy is highly variable based on e stage, patient performance criteria and geographical regional preference. In most cases chemotherapy is based on a doublet that includes a ating agent such as Cisplatin or carboplatin and a second cytotoxic drug such as PCT/U82012/058374 gcmcitabinc, idc or taxotcrc. For a small number of patients, therapy can include treatment with agents that target specific proteins that are mutated or disregulated such as ALK and EGFR (eg crizotinib, gefitinib and erlotinib). Patients are selected for these targeted treatments based on genetic or proteomic markers. A great number of agents have been assessed in late stage NSCLC clinical studies, however most have shown very little benefit over chemotherapy based treatments, with median overall al typically less than ll months.

Accordingly, there is a tremendous need for new strategies to improve atic and non-small cell lung cancer treatments.

ATR (“ATM and Rad3 related”) kinase is a protein kinase involved in ar responses to certain forms of DNA damage (eg double strand breaks and replication ). ATR kinase acts with ATM (“ataxia telangiectasia d”) kinase and many other proteins to regulate a cell’s response to double strand DNA breaks and replication stress, commonly referred to as the DNA Damage Response (“DDR”). The DDR stimulates DNA repair, promotes survival and stalls cell cycle progression by activating cell cycle checkpoints, which provide time for repair.

Without the DDR, cells are much more sensitive to DNA damage and readily die from DNA lesions induced by endogenous cellular ses such as DNA replication or exogenous DNA damaging agents commonly used in cancer therapy.

Healthy cells can rely on a host of different proteins for DNA repair including the DDR kinases ATR and ATM. In some cases these proteins can compensate for one another by activating functionally redundant DNA repair processes. On the contrary, many cancer cells harbour defects in some of their DNA repair processes, such as ATM signaling, and ore display a r ce on their remaining intact DNA repair proteins which include ATR. in addition, many cancer cells express activated oncogenes or lack key tumour suppressors, and this can make these cancer cells prone to dysregulated phases ofDNA replication which in turn cause DNA damage. ATR has been implicated as a critical component of the DDR in response to disrupted DNA replication. As a result, these cancer cells are more dependent on ATR activity for al than healthy cells.

Accordingly, ATR inhibitors may be useful for cancer treatment, either used alone or in combination with DNA damaging agents, because they shut down a DNA repair mechanism that is more important for cellular al in many cancer cells than in healthy normal cells, PCT/U52012/058374 In fact, disruption of ATR function (cg. by gene deletion) has been shown to promote cancer cell death both in the e and presence of DNA damaging agents. This suggests that ATR inhibitors may be effective both as single agents and as potent sensitizers to radiotherapy or genotoxic chemotherapy.

Furthermore, solid tumors often contain regions that are hypoxia (low oxygen levels). This is cant because hypoxic cancer cells are known to be resistant to treatment, most notably IR treatment, and are highly aggressive. One reason for this observation is that components of the DDR can be activated under c conditions and it has also been shown that hypoxic cells are more reliant on components of the DDR for survival.

For all of these reasons, there is a need for the development ofpotent and selective ATR inhibitors for the treatment of atic cancer, for the treatment of lung cancer, and for the development of agents that are effective against both c and nonnoxic cancer cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to uses ofATR inhibitors for treating atic cancer and non—small cell lung cancer. With respect to atic cancer, this invention relates to methods of treating pancreatic cancer in a patient (e.g., a human) with an ATR inhibitor in ation with gemcitabine and/or radiation therapy.

Applicants have demonstrated synergistic y ofATR inhibitors in combination with gemcitabine and/or ion therapy in clonogenic and viability assays on the pancreatic cancer cell lines, (eg. PSN—l, MiaPaCa-2 and Panc—l) as well as in a primary tumor line (e.g., ). Disruption ofATR activity was measured by assessing DNA damage induced phosphorylation of Chkl (Ser 345) and by assessing DNA damage foci and RADSl foci following irradiation.

With respect to non-small cell lung cancer, his invention relates to methods of treating non-small cell lung cancer with an ATR inhibitor in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and ionizing radiation. Applicants have demonstrated y of ATR inhibitors in combination with cisplatin, etoposide, gemcitabine, oxaplatin and irinotecan in viability assays against a panel of 35 human lung cancer cell lines as well as demonstrated in vivo efficacy in a lung cancer mouse model in combination with cisplatin.

BRIEF PTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1. VE—821 radiosensitises pancreatic tumour cells.

PCT/U82012/058374 A) Western blot analysis of Chkl inhibition.

Cells were treated with 100 nM gemcitabine for l h, 1 uM VE-82l was added 1 h later and cells were irradiated (6 Cry) 1 h after that. Drugs were left for the duration of the experiment and cells were lysed at 2 h post—irradiation and subjected to Western blot analysis.

B) VE—821 ensitizes pancreatic tumour cells but not normal fibroblasts.

PSN—l, Pane-l, MiaPaCa~2 pancreatic cancer cell lines and MRCS fibroblasts were treated with increasing concentrations ofVE-821 for 96 11 combined with or t 4 Gy radiation at l h after VE-82l addition. Cell viability was measured after 8 days and shown as normalized to DMSO~treated cells.

C) Scheduling ofVE-82l affects ensitivity.

PSN—l cells were plated as single cells, treated with 1 uM VE—821 at ent time points in relation to 4 Gy irradiation and assessed for colony ion after 10 days.

The Survival fraction at 4 Gy for each of the treatment schedules was determined by taking into account the relevant plating efficiency of unirradiated cells.

D) Clonogenic survival of cells pancreatic cancer cells in response to ATR inhibition.

Cells were treated with 1 uM VIE—821 4 h after plating and 1 h prior to irradiation.

Drug was removed after 72 h and colony-forming ability was assessed after 10 to 21 days. (n=3). *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 over DMSO—treated control.

Figure 2. VE—821 radiosensitises pancreatic tumour cells under hypoxic conditions.

A) clonogenic survival curves of cells treated with 1 uM VE—821 and irradiation under hypoxic ions. Plated cells were transferred to hypoxia (0.5% 02) and acclimatised for 6 h. VE-821 (1 uM) was then added at lh prior to irradiation and left for 72 h upon which the medium was replaced. Cells were transferred to ia at l h post-irradiation.

B) elonogenie survival of cells after irradiation with 6 Gy and ent with 1 uM VE-821 in oxic and c (0.5% 02) conditions, as described above and in Fig. 1 (n=3). *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001 over DMSO-treated control.

Figure 3. VE—821 sensitiscs pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine treatment.

A) clonogenic survival of cells treated with gemcitabine and 1 uM VE—821. Cells were d with increasing concentrations of gemcitabine for 24 h followed by 72 h treatment of 1 uM VE—821. Colony forming ability was assessed after 10 to 21 days.

B) clonogenic survival of cells treated with gemcitabine in hypoxia. Plated cells were transferred to hypoxia (0.5% Oz) and acclimatised for 6 h. Cells were then treated with increasing concentrations of gemcitabine for 24 h followed by 72 h ent of 1 uM VE-821. c cells were transferred to ia l h after VE— 821 addition.

C) clonogenic survival after ent with 20 nM gemcitabine and VE—82l in oxic and hypoxic (0.5% 02) conditions, as described above.

D) clonogenie survival of cells treated with gemcitabine and irradiation. PSN—l and MiaPaCa—2 cells were treated with 5 11M or 10 11M gemcitabine, respectively, for 24 11, medium was then replaced and 1 pM VE-821 was added from 1 h prior to 72 h post 4 Gy irradiation. Colony forming ability was ed after 10 to 21 days (12:3). *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001 over DMSO—treated l.

Figure 4. VE—821 perturbs the irradiation—induced cell cycle checkpoint in pancreatic cancer cells.

VE—821 (1 HM) was added 1 h prior to 6 Gy irradiation and left for the on of the experiment. Cells were lifted and fixed at 12 h or 24 h after irradiation, stained with propidium iodide and analysed for cell cycle distribution by flow cytometry (n =3) Figure 5. VE~82l increases 53BP1 and yHZAX foci number and reduces RADS 1 foci formation.

Cells were treated with 1 uM VE—821 at various time points in relation to 6 Gy irradiation, as indicated, and fixed at 24 h post—irradiation. Subsequently, cells were stained for (A) yH2AX and (B) 53BP1 foci and the percentage of cells with more than 7 and 5 foci per cell was quantitated, respectively. C, for analysing RadSl foei formation, cells were fixed at 6 h post—irradiation and the percentage of cells with more than 9 foci per cell was quantitated. Representative images are shown on the right (n=3). *, P < 0.05 Supplementary figures.

Suppl Fig 1. Effect of VE-821 incubation time on plating efficiency.

PSN—l cells were plated as single cells, treated with luM VE-821 for various time periods and assessed for colony formation after 10 days.

Suppl Fig. 2.

VE-821 perturbs the irradiation-induced GZ/M checkpoint in pancreatic cancer cells in hypoxic conditions.

Cells were pre-incubated under hypoxic (0.5% 02) conditions for 6 h and 1 uM VE-821 was added 1 h prior to irradiation (6 Gy). Cells were transferred to normoxia l h after ation and were lifted and fixed at 12 h or 24 h after irradiation, stained with ium iodide and analysed for cell cycle distribution by flow cytometry (n=3).

Fig 1X. Dose response relationship for ensitivity induced by Compounds 821 and 822.

Small scale clonogenic survival assays were performed on HeLa cells treated with the different ATR inhibitors at increasing concentrations ed by irradiation at 6Gy. Data is plotted as decrease in clonogenic survival in relation to the DMSO-treated cells for both irradiated (SF 6Gy, line with squares) and diated cells (plating efficiency, PE; black line). A high degree of increased radiosensitivity can be seen as a large decrease in survival after irradiation accompanied by a small decrease in unirradiated survival at a specific drug concentration.

Fig 2X. ment of radiosensitivity in tumour cells and normal cells.

A) Clonogenic survival after drug treatment in the absence of irradiation.

PSNl and MiaPaca cells were plated at low densities, treated with the drugs indicated and assessed for clonogenic survival.

B) enic survival of PSNl, MiaPaca, and MRC5 cells ated with Compounds 821 and 822 drugs followed by ation. Cells were plated at low densities, treated with drugs indicated lh prior to irradiation and assessed for clonogenic survival.

Fig 3X. Assessment of dependency of drug addition and removal timing on radiosensitivity.

MiaPaca cells were plated at low densities and drug was added at s time points in relation to the 4Gy radiation treatment: 1h prior to IR, 5min after IR, 2h or 4h after IR; and removed at various time points: 5min after, lh after, or 19h after IR. Clonogenic survival was assessed after 14 days. Results are shown as the surviving fraction at 4Gy (top panel) or the percentage radiosensitisation (middle panel) compared to the DMSO—treated cells. The ent treatment schedules did not cause differences in plating efficiency (bottom panel).

Fig 4X. DNA damage foci analysis after Compound 822 treatment and irradiation.

A) Assessment of gH2AX, SBBPI foci at 24h after IR at 6Gy and of RADSI foci at 6h after IR. MiaPaca cells were treated with 80nM Compound 822 lh prior or lh post ation and drug was washed away at 5min after or lh after IR. Cells were fixed after 6h (for RADSl foci) or 24h (for gH2AX and 53BP1 foci). The percentage of cells containing more than a n number of foci was quantitated.

B) Time course ofDNA damage foci. Cells were treated as in A and fixed at the time points shown followed by staining for gH2AX, 53BPl and RADSl foci. Data is shown as the mean number of foci at a particular time point (upper panels) or the percentage of cells containing more than a certain number of foci (lower panels).

Fig 5X. Cell cycle analysis of Compound eated cells after 6Gy irradiation.

PSNl cells were treated with 40nM Compound 822 lb prior to 6Gy irradiation in triplicate wells. Cells were lifted and fixed at several time points after IR, stained with ium iodide and analysed by flow try.

A) Cell cycle histogram plots. Fitted peaks are coloured dark grey for G1 phase, shaded for S—phase, and light grey for G2/M phase. One out of three wells is shown for each time point and treatment.

B) Average cell cycle percentages over time. Cell cycle percentage values were obtained from fitted histogram plots (n=3) and plotted for control—treated and Compound 822-treated cells.

Figure 1Y. Lung Cancer Cell Screen: VE-822 izes with Chemotoxics Across a Panel of Lung Cancer Cell Lines in Lung Cell ity Assay Figure 2Y. Lung Cancer Cell Screen: VE-822 Exhibits Greater than 3-fold Synergy with oxics in Lung Cancer Cell Lines in a Cell Viability Assay Figure 3Y. Pancreatic Cancer Cell Screen: VE-822 izes with Cisplatin and Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines in a Cell Viability Assay Figure 4Y. Pancreatic Cancer Cell Screen: VE-822 Exhibits Greater than 3-fold Synergy with Chemotoxics in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines a Cell Viability Assay Figure 5Y. Effect of VE-822 and cisplatin on tumor volume and body weight in a primary adenocarcinoma NSCLC xenograft in SCID mice.

Figure 6Y: Effect of VE-822 administered PO q2d at 10, 30 or 60 mg/kg in combination with gemcitabine (15 mg/kg IP q3d) on the tumor volume of mice bearing PSN1 pancreatic cancer xenografts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION One aspect of this invention provides methods for treating pancreatic cancer in a patient by administering to the patient an ATR inhibitor in combination with another known pancreatic cancer treatment. One aspect of the invention includes administering the ATR tor in combination with gemcitabine. In some ments, the pancreatic cancer comprises one of the following cell lines: PSN-1, a-2 or Panc-1. According to another aspect, the cancer comprises the primary tumor line Panc- Another aspect of the invention provides methods for treating cancer (e.g., pancreatic or non-small cell lung) in a t by administering to the patient an ATR inhibitor in combination with radiation therapy.

Another aspect of the invention provides s for treating non-small cell lung cancer in a t by administering to the patient an ATR inhibitor in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and/or ionizing radiation. Applicants have demonstrated synergy of ATR inhibitors in combination with cisplatin, etoposide, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin and irinotecan in ity assays against PCT/U82012/058374 a panel of 35 human lung cancer cell lines as well as demonstrated in Vivo efficacy in a lung cancer mouse model in combination with tin. This invention also relates to the use ofATR inhibitors in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and/or ionizing radiation for treating non—small cell lung cancer.

Examples ofATR inhibitors are shown in Table 1 below: Tablel NH2 0 Q NH2 ”N NVN \ HN\ l H N l O=S=O 821 822 The terms referring to compounds 821 and 822 are interchangeable with VE-821 and VE-822, respectively.

Another aspect provides a method of treating pancreatic cancer by administering to pancreatic cancer cells an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table l in combination with one or more cancer therapies. In some embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is combined with chemoradiation, chemotherapy, and/or ion therapy. As would be understood by one of skill in the art, adiation refers to a treatment regime that includes both chemotherapy (such as gemcitabine) and radiation. In some embodiments, the chemotherapy is abine.

Yet another aspect provides a method of increasing the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to a cancer therapy ed from gemcitabine or radiation therapy by administering an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1 in combination with the cancer therapy.

In some embodiments, the cancer therapy is gemcitabine. In other embodiments, the cancer therapy is ion y. In yet another embodiment the cancer therapy is chemoradiation.

Another aspect provides a method of inhibiting phosphorylation of Chkl (Ser 345) in a pancreatic cancer cell comprising administering an ATR inhibitor W0 2013f049859 PCT/U$2012/058374 selected from a compound in Table 1 after ent with gcmcitabinc (cg, 100 nM) and/or radiation (e. g., 6 Gy) to a pancreatic cancer cell.

Another aspect provides method of radiosensitizing hypoxic PSN-l, MiaPaCa—2 or PancM tumor cells by administering an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table l to the tumor cell in ation with radiation therapy.

Yet another aspect provides a method of sensitizing hypoxic PSN—l, MiaPaCa—2 or PancM tumor cells by administering an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table l to the tumor cell in combination with gemcitabine.

Another aspect provides a method of sensitizing PSN—l and MiaPaCa—Z tumor cells to chemoradiation by administering an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1 to the tumor cells in combination with chemoradiation.

Another aspect provides a method of ting damage—induced cell cycle checkpoints by administering an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table l in combination with radiation therapy to a pancreatic cancer cell. r aspect provides a method of inhibiting repair ofDNA damage by homologous recombination in a pancreatic cancer cell by administering an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1 in ation with one or more of the following treatments: chemoradiation, chemotherapy, and ion therapy.

In some embodiments, the chemotherapy is abine.

Another aspect es a method of inhibiting repair ofDNA damage by homologous recombination in a pancreatic cancer cell by administering an ATR inhibitor ed from a compound in Table l in combination with gemcitabine and ion therapy.

In some embodiments, the pancreatic cancer cells are derived from a pancreatic cell line selected from PSN—l, MiaPaCa—Z or Pane-l. in other embodiments, the pancreatic cancer cells are in a cancer patient.

In other embodiments, the cancer cells are part of a tumor.

Another embodiment provides methods for ng non—small cell lung cancer in a patient by administering to the patient an ATR inhibitor in combination with other known non—small cell lung cancer treatments. One aspect of the invention includes administering to a t an ATR inhibitor in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and / or ng radiation.

Another aspect provides a method of treating non-small cell lung cancer by administering to a patient an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1 PCT/U52012/058374 in combination with one or more cancer therapies. In some embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is combined with chemoradiation, chemotherapy, and/or radiation y.

As would be tood by one of skill in the art, adiation refers to a treatment regime that includes both chemotherapy (such as cisplatin, latin, or etoposide) and radiation. In some embodiments, the herapy comprises Cisplatin or carboplatin, and etoposide.

Yet another aspect provides a method of increasing the sensitivity of non—small cell lung cancer cells to a cancer therapy ed from cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and ionizing ion by administering to a patient an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1 in combination with one or more cancer therapy.

In some embodiments, the cancer therapy is cisplatin or carboplatin. In other embodiments, the cancer therapy is radiation therapy. In yet r embodiment the cancer therapy is etoposide.

In some embodiments, the cancer therapy is a combination of cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and ionizing radiation. In some embodiments the cancer therapy is cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide. In other embodiments the cancer therapy is cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide and ionizing ion. In yet other embodiments the cancer therapy is cisplatin or carboplatin and ionizing radiation.

Another aspect provides a method of inhibiting phosphorylation of Chkl (Ser 345) in a all cell lung cancer cell comprising administering to a patient an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1. In some embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is administered in combination with gemcitabine (e. g., 100 nM), cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, ionizing radiation or radiation (cg, 6 Gy) to a non—small cell lung cancer cell.

In other embodiments, the non—small cell lung cancer cells are in a cancer patient.

In some embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is PCT/U82012/058374 In other embodiments, the ATR tor is N“2 *N \ HN\ N I 0: =0 822.

Uses Another aspect provides use of an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table 1 in combination with gemcitabine and radiation therapy for treating pancreatic cancer.

Another aspect es use of an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table l in combination with cisplatin or latin, etoposide, and ionizing radiation for treating non—small cell lung cancer.

In some embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is Compound VE-821. In other embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is Compound VE—822.

PCT/U52012/058374 Manufacture of Mcdicaments Another aspect provides use of an ATR inhibitor ed from a compound in Table l in combination with gemcitabine and radiation y for the manufacture of a ment for treating pancreatic cancer.

Another aspect provides use of an ATR inhibitor selected from a compound in Table l in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin, etoposide, and ionizing radiation for the manufacture of a medicament for treating non-small cell lung cancer.

In some embodiments, the AIR inhibitor is nd VIE—821. In other embodiments, the ATR inhibitor is nd VE—822.

EXAMPLES The examples are for the purpose of illustration only and are not to be ued as ng the scope of the invention in any way.

Cell viability assays MiaPaCa-Z, PSN—l, Panel and MRC5 cells (5 x 104) were plated in 96-well plates and after 4 h treated with increasing concentrations of VE-82l at 1 h before irradiation with a single dose of 6 Gy. Medium was replaced 96 h post—irradiation at which point viability was measured using the using the Alamar Blue assay (Resazurin ate, SIGMA). Cells were d to proliferate and cell viability was again analyzed at day 8 for the different treatment conditions. Cell viability and surviving fraction were normalized to the untreated (control) group.

Clonogenic survival assay Logarithmically growing cells were plated in triplicate in 6-well tissue culture dishes under oxic (21% 02) or hypoxic conditions (0.5% 02) using an InVivo2 300 chamber (Ruskinn Technology, UK). Cells were incubated for 6 hours before irradiation under oxia or hypoxia using tightly sealed chambers. The target 02 level was achieved within 6 h of g and maintained during irradiation, as confirmed by an OxyLite oxygen probe d Optronix). Cells irradiated under hypoxia were exposed to normoxia at l h post-irradiation. As standard, VE-821 (1 uM) was added 1 h prior to irradiation (6 Gy) and was washed away 72 h after irradiation. For the chemotherapy experiments, cells were initially exposed to increasing concentrations PCT/U$2012/058374 ofgcmcitabinc (5, 10 and 20 nM) for 24 h before addition of the VIE-821 (1 uM) for another 72 h. The effect of triple combination of irradiation with VE—821 and gemcitabine was examined as well. Cells were incubated for 10-21 days until colonies were stained with 0.5% crystal Violet and counted in a CellCount automated colony r (Oxford Optronix). Clonogenic survival was calculated and data were fitted in the ad Prism 4.0 (GraphPad Software, CA).

Western blot MiaPaCa—2 and PSN-l cells were exposed to abine and/or 1 uM VE— 821 drug 1 h prior to irradiation with a single dose of 6 Gy. Cells were lysed in RIPA buffer 2 h post—irradiation and subjected to SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and innnunoblotting. Chemoluminescence (SuperSignal, ore) and film exposure was used to detect antibody g. Exposed film was digitized and figures were assembled using Microsoft oint.

Nuclear foci analysis Cells growing in 96-well plates were d with 1 uM VE-821 drug 1 h prior to 6 Gy irradiation and fixed in 3% formaldehyde at multiple time points. Cells were subsequently pearmeabalised and blocked in PBS with 0.1% Triton 1% BSA (w/V). Cells were incubated with primary antibody overnight at 4°C and after a PBS wash ted with fluorescently labeled secondary antibody followed gy a PBS wash and r staining with DAPI. Images were acquired and foci quantitated using an IN Cell Analyzer 1000 automated epifluorescence microscope and analysis software (GE Healthcare, Cahlfont St. Giles, UK) Cell Cycle Analysis Cells growing in 6—well dishes were treated with 1 uM VE-821 drug 1 h prior to 6 Gy irradiation. Cells were incubated for 6 h before irradiation under oxia (21% 02) or hypoxia (0.5% 02) using tightly sealed chambers. At multiple time points, cells were lifted in trypsin and fixed in 70% ethanol and stored at 4°C. Cells were ted with propidium iodide (50 ug/ml in PBS containing 200 rig/ml RNAse) for 1 h at room temperature and analysed by flow cytometry (FACSort, Becton Dickinson). Cell cycle phase was quantitated using ModFit Cell Cycle Analysis software.

PCT/U82012/058374 Cell g and Compound Addition for Lung Cancer Cell Screen All cell lines were seeded in 30 pl of tissue culture medium containing 10% FBS into 384-well opaque-bottom assay plates. The seeding density was based on the logarithmic growth rate of each cell line. After 24 hours, compound stock solutions were added to each well to afford a matrix consisting of 5 concentrations for VE—822 and 6 concentrations for chemotoxics. Each well contains either, agent alone or a combination of both . The final tration range for VE-822 was 25 nM— 2 nM. The concentration ranges for the chemotoxics were as follows: Etoposide, lO nM—lO uM; Gemcitabine, 0.16 nM-l60 nM; Cisplatin, 20 nM—20 uM; Oxaliplatin, 40 nM—40 uM; lrinotecan (SN—3 8), 0.12 nM—120 nM. The cells were then incubated for 96 hours at 37°C in an atmosphere of 5% C02 and 95% humidity.

Cell Seeding and Compound Addition for the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Screen All cell lines were seeded in 30 pl of tissue culture medium ning 10% FBS into 384—well opaque—bottom plates. The seeding density was based on the logarithmic growth rate of each cell line. After 24 hours, compound stock solutions were added to each well to afford a matrix consisting of 9 concentrations for VE-822 and 7 trations for abine and Cisplatin. Each well contains either, agent alone or a combination of both agents.The final concentration ranges were as follows: VE—822, 0.3 nM—Z 11M; Gemcitabine, 0.3 nM—0.22 nM; Cisplatin, 30 nM—ZO nM. The cells were then incubated for 96 hours at 37°C in an atmosphere of 5% CO; and 95% humidity.

Cell Viability Assay This assay measures the number of viable cells in a culture based on the quantitation ofATP, which is present in metabolically active cells.

CellTiter-Glo Reagent (Promega, Madison, WI, USA) was prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions and added 96 hours after compound addition (25 nl/well) to measure cell viability. Luminescence signal was measured with the tarFS (BMG Labtech, Cary, NC, USA) automated plate reader. ' All cell lines were screened in duplicate.

Raw luminescence CellTiter-Glo (CTG) values were ized to the mean CTG value for the negative control DMSO~treated samples on each assay plate. leo values for chemotoxic alone were calculated using DMSO—nonnalized cell survival values for the samples treated with chemotoxic compound alone. To ine fraction of cell survival in the presence of VE~822, raw CTG values were normalized to the mean CTG value for the samples exposed to the same concentration of VE-822 in the absence of the chemotoxic nd. 2 —treated chemotoxic ICso values were ated using 2 -normalized cell survival values for all samples treated with the chemotoxic at a given concentration of VE-822. A 3x or greater reduction in leo was used to identify strongly synergistic effects between 2 and chemotoxics.

Primary Adenocarcinoma NSCLC Xenograft Model Tumor tissue was excised from a patient with a poorly differentiated adenocareinoma. This tumor tissue was implanted subcutaneously in the flank of a SCID mouse and passaged twice before compound testing. For compound testing passage—two tumor tissue was ted subcutaneously in the flank of SCID mice and tumors grown to a volume of about 200mm3. Cisplatin was dosed alone at either 1 or 3 mg/kg ip, once per week (ip, q7d, on day 2 of each week) for two weeks. VE—822 was dosed as a solution alone at 60 mg/kg [)0 on 4 utive days per weekly cycle (qd4, dosed on days I, 2, 3 and 4 each week). Two combination groups received cisplatin at 1 or 3 mg/kg plus VE—822 at 60 mg/kg po on the same schedule as the single agent group. A control group received vehicle alone (10% Vitamin E TPGS in water, po qd4). All drug treatment was stopped on Day 28. Vehicle, cisplatin (1 mg/kg) and VE—822 (60 mg/kg) groups were sacrificed and the remainder monitored for a further 40 days to assess tumor re-growth.

PSNI Pancreatic Cancer Xenograft Model PSNl cells (1 X 106 cells per mouse) were implanted as a mixture in Matrigel (IOOul per mouse) into the flank of female nude MFl mice and grown to a volume of about 200mm3 prior to compound administration._Gcmcitabinc was dosed alone at 15 mg/kg ip, once every three days (ip, q3d) in 0.5% cellulose in water for a maximum of 10 cycles. VE—822 was closed, as a suspension in 0.5% methylcellulose in water, alone at either 10, 30 or 60 mg/kgpo every other day for 28 days (p0 q2d). Three combination groups received gemcitabine at 15 mg/kg plus VE- 822 either at 10, 30 or at 60 mg/kg po on the same schedule as the single agent groups. A control group received e alone (0.5% methylcellulose ip q3d). All drug treatment was stopped on Day 30. Vehicle and VE-822 groups were iced on day 13 due to excessive tumor volumes.

RESULTS Compounds VE-821 and VE-822 sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to radiation therapy Compound VE-821 inhibits phosphorylation of Chk1 (Ser 345) after treatment with gemcitabine (100 nM), ion (6 Gy) or both (see Fig. 1A). Compound VE-821 radiosensitises atic tumour cells but not normal cells. When cells were irradiated in the presence of nd VE-821, a decrease in surviving fraction was observed and this radiosensitising effect increased as the drug incubation time after irradiation was extended (see figure 1C).

Compound VE-821 radiosensitises tumour PSN-1, MiaPaCa-2 and PancM cells under c conditions (see figure 2A-B). Compound VE-821 also sensitises normoxic and hypoxic cancer cells to gemcitabine (see figure 3B-C). Compound VE- 821 potentiates the effect of chemoradiation in both PSN-1 and MiaPaCa-2 cancer cells (see figure 3D). nd VE-821 ts damage-induced cell cycle checkpoints (see supplementary figure 2). Compound VE-821 inhibits repair of DNA damage by homologous recombination (see figures 5A, 5B, and 5C).

Results for Compounds 821 and 822 are shown in Figures 1X to 5X and 1Y to 6Y. VE-821 and VE-822 ize cancer cells to radiation therapy (see Figures 1X- 5X).

VE-822 enhances the mor effects of cancer therapies in xenograft models VE-822 enhances the antitumor effects of ionizing radiation in a MiaPaCa pancreatic cancer xenograft model and in a PSN-1 pancreatic cancer xenograft model.

VE-822 enhances the antitumor effects of cisplatin in a primary adenocarcinoma NSCLC aft model. Figure 5Y shows the effect of VE-822 and cisplatin on tumor volume and body weight in a primary adenocarcinoma NSCLC xenograft in SCID mice. Data are mean ± sem, n = 9-10. Black filled circles are vehicle treatment; filled diamonds and solid line are Cisplatin treatment (1mg/kg q7d); non-filled ds and solid line are Cisplatin treatment (3mg/kg q7d); non-filled squares are VE-822 treatment (60mg/kg qd4); filled diamonds and dashed line are Cisplatin (1mg/kg) and VE-822 (60mg/kg qd4); empty diamonds and dashed line are Cisplatin (3mg/kg) and VE-822 (60mg/kg qd4) (see Figure 5Y). are Cisplatin (lmg/kg) and VE-822 (60mg/kg qd4); empty diamonds and dashed line are Cisplatin (3mg/kg) and VE-822 (60mg/kg qd4) (fie Figure 5Y).

VIE-822 also enhances the antitumor s of gemcitamine in a PSNl pancreatic cancer xenograft model. Figure 6Y shows the effect of VIE-822 administered PO q2d at 10, 30 or 60 mg/kg in ation with gemcitabine (15 mg/kg IP q3d) on the tumor volume of mice bearing PSNl atic cancer xenografts. Data shown are mean tumor volume i SEM (n = 8 per group). Empty squares are VE-822 treatment; Black filled circles are vehicle treatment; filled triangles are gemcitabine treatment; Empty circles and dashed line are gemcitabine and VE—822 (lOmg/kg) treatment; Grey filled circles and dashed line are gemcitabine and VE—822 (30mg/kg) treatment; Black filled diamonds are gemcitabine and VE~822 (60mg/kg) treatment; VE-822 synergizes with chemotoxics across a panel of lung cancer cell lines The heat map represents the m shift in IC50 of each chemotoxic achieved when combined with VE-822 for 96 hours. Colors represent an IC50 shift range from -10 (antagonism, light grey) to 10 (synergy, dark grey) (& Figure lY).

VE-822 exhibits greater than 3-fold y with cisplatin, etoposide, gemcitabine, oxaplatin and ifinotecan in lung cancer cell lines (E Figure 2Y).

VE-822 Synergizes with Cisplatin and Gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cell lines.

The heat map represents the maximum shift in IC50 of each chemotoxic achieved when combined with VIE-822 for 96 hours. Colors represent an IC50 shift range from ~10 (antagonism, light grey) to 10 (synergy, dark grey) (fie Figure 3Y).

While we have described a number of ments of this invention, it is apparent that our basic examples may be altered to provide other ments that utilize the compounds, methods, and processes of this invention. Therefore, it will be iated that the scope of this invention is to be defined by the appended claims rather than by the specific embodiments that have been ented by way of example herein.

Claims (22)

1. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from NH2 0eN \ HN\ 038:0 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, wherein the ment is adapted to be used in combination with another cancer therapy selected from gemcitabine, radiation therapy, or both gemcitabine and radiation therapy together.

2. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from OHmHO in the manufacture of a medicament for increasing the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to a cancer y selected from abine or radiation therapy.

3. The use of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cancer therapy is gemcitabine.

4. The use of claim 1 or claim 2,‘ wherein the cancer therapy is radiation therapy.

5. Use of an ATR tor ed from ””2 OvN \ HN\ 0:8:0 in the manufacture of a medicament for sensitizing hypoxic pancreatic cancer cells to a cancer therapy ed from gemcitabine or radiation therapy.

6. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from OH (D II 0 in the manufacture of a medicament for inhibiting phosphorylation of Chkl (Ser 345) in a pancreatic cancer cell, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with gemcitabine and/or radiation.

7. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from 0ll>_U)nO in the manufacture of a medicament for radiosensitizing hypoxic atic cancer cells, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with radiation therapy.

8. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from 0:830 in the manufacture of a medicament for sensitizing hypoxic pancreatic cancer cells, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with abine.

9. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from NH2 0’N \ HN\ 03820 in the manufacture of a medicament for sensitizing pancreatic cancer cells to chemoradiation.

10. The use of claim 9 wherein the chemotherapy is gemcitabine.

l 1. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from OH (D ll 0 in the manufacture of a ment for disrupting damage—induced cell cycle checkpoints in a pancreatic cancer cell, wherein the ment is adapted to be administered in combination with radiation therapy.

12. Use of an ATR inhibitor selected from NH2 0’N \ HN- o=s=o in the manufacture of a ment for inhibiting repair ofDNA damage by homologous recombination in a pancreatic cancer cell, n the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with ion treatment.

13. The use of any one of claims 2 and 5-12, wherein the pancreatic cancer cells are derived from a pancreatic cell line selected from PSN—l, MiaPaCa-2 or Pane-1.

14. The use of any one of claims 2 and 5-12, wherein the pancreatic cancer cells are in a cancer patient.

15. The use of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered to a patient.

16. The use of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the compound is adapted to be administered to a pancreatic cancer cell.

17. Use of a compound of formula 822: 028:0 in the manufacture of a medicament for treating non-small cell lung cancer, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with Cisplatin or Carboplatin; and/or Etoposide; and/or ionizing radiation.

18. The use of claim 17, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with Cisplatin , Carboplatin, ide or ionizing radiation.

19. The use of claim 18, n the ment is adapted to be administered in combination with Cisplatin or Carboplatin; and Etoposide.

20. The use of claim 18, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with Cisplatin or latin; and Etoposide and ionizing radiation.

21. The use of claim 18, wherein the medicament is adapted to be administered in combination with ionizing radiation.

22. The use according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5—9, ll, 12 or 17, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the Examples and/or