Identification of novel inhibitors targeting EGFR L858R/T790M/C797S against NSCLC by molecular docking, MD

Chaochun Wei1, Cuicui Ji1, Keli Zong1

  • 1College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, PR China.

Insights

Researchers identified five novel compounds effective against EGFR-TKI resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These candidates show stronger binding and stability than Osimertinib, offering new hope for treating resistant EGFR mutations.

Area of Science:

  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Computational Drug Discovery
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are crucial for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment.
  • Acquired resistance, particularly to mutations like EGFR L858R/T790M/C797S, limits the long-term efficacy of current therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel drug candidates overcoming EGFR-TKI resistance in NSCLC.
  • To evaluate potential compounds for improved binding affinity, stability, and drug-like properties against resistant EGFR mutations.

Main Methods:

  • Virtual screening of over 2 million compounds from the ChEMBL database.
  • Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and protein-ligand interaction analyses.
  • Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for electronic property assessment.

Main Results:

  • Five promising compounds were identified with high binding affinities and favorable ADMET profiles.
  • MD simulations indicated enhanced stability and restricted conformational changes compared to Osimertinib.
  • Calculated binding free energies (-34.95 to -45.54 kcal/mol) suggest stronger binding than Osimertinib (-34.49 kcal/mol).

Conclusions:

  • The identified compounds demonstrate significant potential as lead candidates for NSCLC treatment.
  • These novel agents may offer a therapeutic strategy against EGFR L858R/T790M/C797S resistance mutations.
  • Further development could lead to new therapies for patients with resistant NSCLC.