Optimization of phenyl-substituted benzimidazole carboxamide poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors: identification of (S)-2-(2-fluoro-4-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)phenyl)-1H-benzimidazole-4-carboxamide (A-966492), a highly potent and efficacious inhibitor.

We have developed a series of phenylpyrrolidine- and phenylpiperidine-substituted benzimidazole carboxamide poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors with excellent PARP enzyme potency as well as single-digit nanomolar cellular potency. These efforts led to the identification of (S)-2-(2-fluoro-4-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)phenyl)-1H-benzimidazole-4-carboxamide (22b, A-966492). Compound 22b displayed excellent potency against the PARP-1 enzyme with a K(i) of 1 nM and an EC(50) of 1 nM in a whole cell assay. In addition, 22b is orally bioavailable across multiple species, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and appears to distribute into tumor tissue. It also demonstrated good in vivo efficacy in a B16F10 subcutaneous murine melanoma model in combination with temozolomide and in an MX-1 breast cancer xenograft model both as a single agent and in combination with carboplatin.