Characterization of AMN107, a selective inhibitor of native and mutant Bcr-Abl

The Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase oncogene causes chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We describe a novel selective inhibitor of Bcr-Abl, AMN107 (IC50 <30 nM), which is significantly more potent than imatinib, and active against a number of imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl mutants. Crystallographic analysis of Abl-AMN107 complexes provides a structural explanation for the differential activity of AMN107 and imatinib against imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl. Consistent with its in vitro and pharmacokinetic profile, AMN107 prolonged survival of mice injected with Bcr-Abl-transformed hematopoietic cell lines or primary marrow cells, and prolonged survival in imatinib-resistant CML mouse models. AMN107 is a promising new inhibitor for the therapy of CML and Ph+ ALL.