The dual RAF/MEK inhibitor CH5126766/RO5126766 may be a potential therapy for RAS-mutated tumor cells.

Although melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, recent advances in BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors against BRAF-mutated melanoma have improved survival rates. Despite these advances, a treatment strategy targeting NRAS-mutated melanoma has not yet been elucidated. We discovered CH5126766/RO5126766 as a potent and selective dual RAF/MEK inhibitor currently under early clinical trials. We examined the activity of CH5126766/RO5126766 in a panel of malignant tumor cell lines including melanoma with a BRAF or NRAS mutation. Eight cell lines including melanoma were assessed for their sensitivity to the BRAF, MEK, or RAF/MEK inhibitor using in vitro growth assays. CH5126766/RO5126766 induced G1 cell cycle arrest in two melanoma cell lines with the BRAF V600E or NRAS mutation. In these cells, the G1 cell cycle arrest was accompanied by up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 and down-regulation of cyclinD1. CH5126766/RO5126766 was more effective at reducing colony formation than a MEK inhibitor in NRAS- or KRAS-mutated cells. In the RAS-mutated cells, CH5126766/RO5126766 suppressed the MEK reactivation caused by a MEK inhibitor. In addition, CH5126766/RO5126766 suppressed the tumor growth in SK-MEL-2 xenograft model. The present study indicates that CH5126766/RO5126766 is an attractive RAF/MEK inhibitor in RAS-mutated malignant tumor cells including melanoma.