Discovery of Diaminopyrimidine Carboxamide HPK1 Inhibitors as Preclinical Immunotherapy Tool Compounds

Abstract

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a serine/threonine kinase, is a negative immune regulator of T cell receptor (TCR) and B cell signaling that is primarily expressed in hematopoietic cells. Accordingly, it has been reported that HPK1 loss-of-function in HPK1 kinase-dead syngeneic mouse models shows enhanced T cell signaling and cytokine production as well as tumor growth inhibition <i>in vivo</i>, supporting its value as an immunotherapeutic target. Herein, we present the structurally enabled discovery of novel, potent, and selective diaminopyrimidine carboxamide HPK1 inhibitors. The key discovery of a carboxamide moiety was essential for enhanced enzyme inhibitory potency and kinome selectivity as well as sustained elevation of cellular IL-2 production across a titration range in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The elucidation of structure-activity relationships using various pendant amino ring systems allowed for the identification of several small molecule type-I inhibitors with promising <i>in vitro</i> profiles.