Robert H Gruninger

Publications (15)63.8 Total impact

• Article: 4-Amino-6-arylamino-pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde hydrazones as potent ErbB-2/EGFR dual kinase inhibitors.

  Guozhang Xu, Marta C Abad, Peter J Connolly, Michael P Neeper, Geoffrey T Struble, Barry A Springer, Stuart L Emanuel, Niranjan Pandey, Robert H Gruninger, Mary Adams, Sandra Moreno-Mazza, Angel R Fuentes-Pesquera, Steven A Middleton
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  ABSTRACT: Members of a novel class of 4-amino-6-arylamino-pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde hydrazones were identified as potent dual ErbB-2/EGFR kinase inhibitors using concept-guided design approach. These compounds inhibited the growth of ErbB-2 over-expressing human tumor cell lines (BT474, N87, and SK-BR-3) in vitro. Compound 15 emerged as a key lead and showed significant ability to inhibit growth factor-induced receptor phosphorylation in SK-BR-3 cells (IC(50)=54 nM) and cellular proliferation in vitro (IC(50)=14, 58, and 58 nM for BT474, N87, and SK-BR-3 respectively). The X-ray co-crystal structure of EGFR with a close analog (17) was determined and validated our design rationale.
  Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters 08/2008; 18(16):4615-9. · 2.65 Impact Factor
• Article: Discovery of novel 4-amino-6-arylaminopyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde oximes as dual inhibitors of EGFR and ErbB-2 protein tyrosine kinases.

  Guozhang Xu, Lily Lee Searle, Terry V Hughes, Amanda K Beck, Peter J Connolly, Marta C Abad, Michael P Neeper, Geoffrey T Struble, Barry A Springer, Stuart L Emanuel, Robert H Gruninger, Niranjan Pandey, Mary Adams, Sandra Moreno-Mazza, Angel R Fuentes-Pesquera, Steven A Middleton, Lee M Greenberger
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  ABSTRACT: We herein disclose a novel series of 4-aminopyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde oximes that are potent and selective inhibitors of both EGFR and ErbB-2 tyrosine kinases, with IC(50) values in the nanomolar range. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies elucidated a critical role for the 4-amino and C-6 arylamino moieties. The X-ray co-crystal structure of EGFR with 37 was determined and validated our design rationale.
  Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters 07/2008; 18(12):3495-9. · 2.65 Impact Factor
• Article: Cellular and in vivo activity of JNJ-28871063, a nonquinazoline pan-ErbB kinase inhibitor that crosses the blood-brain barrier and displays efficacy against intracranial tumors.

  Stuart L Emanuel, Terry V Hughes, Mary Adams, Catherine A Rugg, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Peter J Connolly, Niranjan Pandey, Sandra Moreno-Mazza, Jeannene Butler, Virna Borowski, Steven A Middleton, Robert H Gruninger, Jennifer R Story, Cheryl Napier, Beth Hollister, Lee M Greenberger
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  ABSTRACT: JNJ-28871063 is a potent and highly selective pan-ErbB kinase inhibitor from a novel aminopyrimidine oxime structural class that blocks the proliferation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; ErbB1)- and ErbB2-overexpressing cells but does not affect the growth of non-ErbB-overexpressing cells. Treatment of human cancer cells with JNJ-28871063 inhibited phosphorylation of functionally important tyrosine residues in both EGFR and ErbB2 and blocked downstream signal transduction pathways responsible for proliferation and survival. A single dose of compound reduced phosphorylation of ErbB2 receptors in tumor-bearing mice, demonstrating target suppression in vivo. Tissue distribution studies show that JNJ-28871063 crosses the blood-brain barrier and penetrates into tumors, where it is able to accumulate to higher levels than those found in the plasma. JNJ-28871063 showed oral antitumor activity in human tumor xenograft models that overexpress EGFR and ErbB2. In an intracranial ErbB2-overexpressing tumor model, JNJ-28871063 extended survival relative to untreated animals. The brain is a primary site of metastasis for EGFR-overexpressing lung cancers and ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancers. Therefore, the ability to penetrate into the brain could be an advantage over existing therapies such as trastuzumab (Herceptin) and cetuximab (Erbitux), which are antibodies and do not cross the blood-brain barrier. These results show that JNJ-28871063 is orally bioavailable, has activity against EGFR and ErbB2-dependent tumor xenografts, and can penetrate into the brain and inhibit ErbB2-overexpressing tumor growth.
  Molecular pharmacology 03/2008; 73(2):338-48. · 4.53 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis and evaluation of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine CDK1 inhibitors as anti-tumor agents.

  Ronghui Lin, Peter J Connolly, Yanhua Lu, George Chiu, Shengjian Li, Yang Yu, Shenlin Huang, Xun Li, Stuart L Emanuel, Steven A Middleton, Robert H Gruninger, Mary Adams, Angel R Fuentes-Pesquera, Lee M Greenberger
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  ABSTRACT: A series of 3,5-disubstituted pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors was synthesized. These compounds showed potent and selective CDK inhibitory activities and inhibited in vitro cellular proliferation in cultured human tumor cells. Selected compounds were evaluated in an in vivo tumor xenograft model. The synthesis and biological evaluation of these pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines and related compounds are reported.
  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 09/2007; 17(15):4297-302. · 2.55 Impact Factor
• Article: 4-Aryl-5-cyano-2-aminopyrimidines as VEGF-R2 inhibitors: synthesis and biological evaluation.

  Terry V Hughes, Stuart L Emanuel, Amanda K Beck, Steven K Wetter, Peter J Connolly, Prabha Karnachi, Michael Reuman, Jabed Seraj, Angel R Fuentes-Pesquera, Robert H Gruninger, Steven A Middleton, Ronghui Lin, Jeremy M Davis, David F C Moffat
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  ABSTRACT: A novel series of 4-aryl-5-cyano-2-aminopyrimidines were synthesized and found to have potent VEGF-R2 kinase inhibitory activity. Structure-activity relationships were investigated and compound 14a was shown to be efficacious in a mouse model of corneal neovascularization.
  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 07/2007; 17(12):3266-70. · 2.55 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis and biological study of 2-amino-4-aryl-5-chloropyrimidine analogues as inhibitors of VEGFR-2 and cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1).

  Shenlin Huang, Ronghua Li, Peter J Connolly, Stuart Emanuel, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Mary Adams, Robert H Gruninger, Jabed Seraj, Steven A Middleton, Jeremy M Davis, David F C Moffat
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  ABSTRACT: The series of 2-amino-4-aryl-5-chloropyrimidines was discovered to be potent for both VEGFR-2 and CDK1. Described here are the chemistry for analogue synthesis, SAR study, and its kinase selectivity prolifing. The full rat PK data and in vivo efficacy study are also included.
  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 05/2007; 17(8):2179-83. · 2.55 Impact Factor
• Article: (6,7-Dimethoxy-2,4-dihydroindeno[1,2-c]pyrazol-3-yl)phenylamines: platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors with broad antiproliferative activity against tumor cells.

  Chih Y Ho, Donald W Ludovici, Umar S M Maharoof, Jay Mei, Jan L Sechler, Robert W Tuman, Eric D Strobel, Laura Andraka, Hwa-Kwo Yen, Gregory Leo, [......], Harold Almond, Hong Lu, Ann DeVine, Rose M Tominovich, Judith Baker, Stuart Emanuel, Robert H Gruninger, Steven A Middleton, Dana L Johnson, Robert A Galemmo
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  ABSTRACT: A series of (6,7-dimethoxy-2,4-dihydroindeno[1,2-c]pyrazol-3-yl)phenylamines has been optimized to preserve both potent kinase inhibition activity against the angiogenesis target, the receptor tyrosine kinase of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB), and to improve the broad tumor cell antiproliferative activity of these compounds. This series culminates in the discovery of 17 (JNJ-10198409), a compound with anti-PDGFR-beta kinase activity (IC(50)=0.0042 microM) and potent antiproliferative activity in six of eight human tumor cell lines (IC(50) < 0.033 microM).
  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 01/2006; 48(26):8163-73. · 5.25 Impact Factor
• Article: The in vitro and in vivo effects of JNJ-7706621: a dual inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases and aurora kinases.

  Stuart Emanuel, Catherine A Rugg, Robert H Gruninger, Ronghui Lin, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Peter J Connolly, Steven K Wetter, Beth Hollister, Walter W Kruger, Cheryl Napier, Linda Jolliffe, Steven A Middleton
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  ABSTRACT: Modulation of aberrant cell cycle regulation is a potential therapeutic strategy applicable to a wide range of tumor types. JNJ-7706621 is a novel cell cycle inhibitor that showed potent inhibition of several cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) and Aurora kinases and selectively blocked proliferation of tumor cells of various origins but was about 10-fold less effective at inhibiting normal human cell growth in vitro. In human cancer cells, treatment with JNJ-7706621 inhibited cell growth independent of p53, retinoblastoma, or P-glycoprotein status; activated apoptosis; and reduced colony formation. At low concentrations, JNJ-7706621 slowed the growth of cells and at higher concentrations induced cytotoxicity. Inhibition of CDK1 kinase activity, altered CDK1 phosphorylation status, and interference with downstream substrates such as retinoblastoma were also shown in human tumor cells following drug treatment. Flow cytometric analysis of DNA content showed that JNJ-7706621 delayed progression through G1 and arrested the cell cycle at the G2-M phase. Additional cellular effects due to inhibition of Aurora kinases included endoreduplication and inhibition of histone H3 phosphorylation. In a human tumor xenograft model, several intermittent dosing schedules were identified that produced significant antitumor activity. There was a direct correlation between total cumulative dose given and antitumor effect regardless of the dosing schedule. These results show the therapeutic potential of this novel cell cycle inhibitor and support clinical evaluation of JNJ-7706621.
  Cancer Research 11/2005; 65(19):9038-46. · 7.86 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of pyrazine-pyridine biheteroaryls as novel, potent, and selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 inhibitors.

  Gee-Hong Kuo, Catherine Prouty, Aihua Wang, Stuart Emanuel, Alan Deangelis, Yan Zhang, Fengbin Song, Lawrence Beall, Peter J Connolly, Prahba Karnachi, Xin Chen, Robert H Gruninger, Jan Sechler, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Steven A Middleton, Linda Jolliffe, William V Murray
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  ABSTRACT: There is much evidence that direct inhibition of the kinase activity of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) will result in the reduction of angiogenesis and the suppression of tumor growth. Palladium-catalyzed C-C bond, C-N bond formation reactions were used to assemble various pyrazine-pyridine biheteroaryls as potent VEGFR-2 inhibitors. Among them, 4-{5-[6-(3-chloro-phenylamino)-pyrazin-2-yl]-pyridin-3-ylamino}-butan-1-ol (39) and N-{5-[6-(3-chloro-phenylamino)-pyrazin-2-yl]-pyridin-3-yl}-N',N'-dimethyl-ethane-1,2-diamine (41) exhibited the highest kinase selectivity against fibroblast growth factor receptor kinase, platelet-derived growth factor receptor kinase, and glycogen synthase kinase-3. All of these compounds showed good cellular potency to inhibit VEGF-stimulated proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) but with modest effects on the unstimulated growth of HUVEC. The low inhibition of these compounds to the growth of tumor cell lines, such as HeLa, HCT-116, and A375 further confirms that these VEGFR-2 inhibitors are not cytotoxic agents. The in vivo antitumor activity of 39 and 41 were demonstrated in the A375 human melanoma xenograft nude mice model. Molecular modeling (QSAR analysis) was conducted in an attempt to rationalize the observed structure-activity relationship.
  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 08/2005; 48(15):4892-909. · 5.25 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis and identification of [1,3,5]triazine-pyridine biheteroaryl as a novel series of potent cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors.

  Gee-Hong Kuo, Alan Deangelis, Stuart Emanuel, Aihua Wang, Yan Zhang, Peter J Connolly, Xin Chen, Robert H Gruninger, Catherine Rugg, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Steven A Middleton, Linda Jolliffe, William V Murray
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  ABSTRACT: On the basis of previous studies, we identified pyrazine-pyridine A as a potent vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor and pyrimidine-pyridine B as a moderately potent cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor. A proposed combination of CGP-60474 and compound B led to the discovery of [1,3,5]triazine-pyridine as a new series of potent CDK inhibitors. Palladium-catalyzed C-C bond formation reactions, particularly the Negishi coupling reaction, were used to assemble various triazine-heteroaryl analogues effectively. Among them, compound 20 displayed high inhibitory potency at CDK1 (IC(50) = 0.021 microM), CDK2, and CDK5 and submicromolar potency at CDK4, CDK6, and CDK7. Compound 20 also displayed high potency at GSK-3beta. It demonstrated potent antiproliferative activity on various tumor cell lines, including HeLa, HCT-116, U937, and A375. When 20 was administered intraperitoneally at 150 and 125 mg/kg to nude mice bearing human A375 xenografts, the compound produced a significant survival increase. Molecular docking studies were conducted in an attempt to enhance the understanding of the observed structure-activity relationship.
  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 08/2005; 48(14):4535-46. · 5.25 Impact Factor
• Article: 1-Acyl-1H-[1,2,4]triazole-3,5-diamine analogues as novel and potent anticancer cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors: synthesis and evaluation of biological activities.

  Ronghui Lin, Peter J Connolly, Shenlin Huang, Steven K Wetter, Yanhua Lu, William V Murray, Stuart L Emanuel, Robert H Gruninger, Angel R Fuentes-Pesquera, Catherine A Rugg, Steven A Middleton, Linda K Jolliffe
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  ABSTRACT: A series of 1-acyl-1H-[1,2,4]triazole-3,5-diamine analogues were synthesized as cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors. These compounds showed potent and selective CDK1 and CDK2 inhibitory activities and inhibited in vitro cellular proliferation in various human tumor cells. Representative compound 3b demonstrated in vivo efficacy in a human melanoma A375 xenograft model in nude mice.
  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 07/2005; 48(13):4208-11. · 5.25 Impact Factor
• Article: 3-Acyl-2,6-diaminopyridines as cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors: synthesis and biological evaluation.

  Ronghui Lin, Yanhua Lu, Steven K Wetter, Peter J Connolly, Ignatius J Turchi, William V Murray, Stuart L Emanuel, Robert H Gruninger, Angel R Fuentes-Pesquera, Mary Adams, Niranjan Pandey, Sandra Moreno-Mazza, Steven A Middleton, Linda K Jolliffe
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  ABSTRACT: A novel series of 2,6-diamino-3-acylpyridines were designed and synthesized as cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors. The representative compounds 2r and 11 showed potent CDK1 and CDK2 inhibitory activities and inhibited cellular proliferation in HeLa, HCT116, and A375 tumor cells.
  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 06/2005; 15(9):2221-4. · 2.55 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis and discovery of pyrazine-pyridine biheteroaryl as a novel series of potent vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 inhibitors.

  Gee-Hong Kuo, Aihua Wang, Stuart Emanuel, Alan Deangelis, Rui Zhang, Peter J Connolly, William V Murray, Robert H Gruninger, Jan Sechler, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Dana Johnson, Steven A Middleton, Linda Jolliffe, Xin Chen
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  ABSTRACT: Pathological angiogenesis is associated with disease states such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, endometriosis, and psoriasis. There is much evidence that direct inhibition of the kinase activity of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) will result in the reduction of angiogenesis and the suppression of tumor growth. Attempts to optimize a cyclin-dependent kinase-1 (CDK1) inhibitor by using palladium-catalyzed C-C bond, C-N bond formation reactions to assemble diverse biheteroaryl molecules led to the unexpected discovery of a pyrazine-pyridine biheteroaryl as a novel series of potent VEGFR-2 inhibitors. Compound 15, which had IC(50) = 0.084 microM at VEGFR-2, showed very modest selectivity against fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (IC(50) = 0.21 microM), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (IC(50) = 0.36 microM), and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (IC(50) = 0.478 microM), while it exhibited more than 10-fold selectivity against epidermal growth factor receptor (IC(50) = 1.36 microM) and insulin-R kinase (IC(50) = 1.69 microM). On the other hand, compound 15 exhibited more than 100-fold selectivity against calmodulin kinase 2; casein kinase-1 and -2; CDK1 and -4; mitogen-activated protein kinase; and protein kinase A, Cbeta2, and Cgamma (IC(50) >10 microM). Compound 15 also displayed high inhibitory potency on VEGF-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation (IC(50) = 0.005 microM) and good selectivity against cell lines such as HUVEC, human aortic smooth muscle cells, and MRC5 lung fibroblasts. Molecular docking studies were conducted in an attempt to rationalize the unexpected high VEGFR-2 selectivity of 15.
  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 04/2005; 48(6):1886-900. · 5.25 Impact Factor
• Article: A vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 kinase inhibitor potentiates the activity of the conventional chemotherapeutic agents paclitaxel and doxorubicin in tumor xenograft models.

  Stuart Emanuel, Robert H Gruninger, Angel Fuentes-Pesquera, Peter J Connolly, Jennifer A Seamon, Susan Hazel, Rose Tominovich, Beth Hollister, Cheryl Napier, Michael R D'Andrea, [......], Robert Tuman, Dana Johnson, David Moffatt, Mark Batchelor, Anne Foley, James O'Connell, Rodger Allen, Martin Perry, Linda Jolliffe, Steven A Middleton
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  ABSTRACT: Inhibition of angiogenesis may have wide use in the treatment of cancer; however, this approach alone will not cause tumor regression but may only slow the growth of solid tumors. The clinical potential of antiangiogenic agents may be increased by combining them with conventional chemotherapeutics. 4-[4-(1-Amino-1-methylethyl)phenyl]-2-[4-(2-morpholin-4-yl-ethyl)phenylamino]pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile (JNJ-17029259) represents a novel structural class of 5-cyanopyrimidines that are orally available, selective, nanomolar inhibitors of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2) and other tyrosine kinases involved in angiogenesis, such as platelet-derived growth factor receptor, fibroblast growth factor receptor, VEGF-R1, and VEGF-R3, but have little activity on other kinase families. At nanomolar levels, JNJ-17029259 blocks VEGF-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, proliferation/migration, and VEGF-R2 phosphorylation in human endothelial cells; inhibits the formation of vascular sprouting in the rat aortic ring model of angiogenesis; and interferes with the development of new veins and arteries in the chorioallantoic membrane assay. At higher concentrations of 1 to 3 microM, this compound shows antiproliferative activity on cells that may contribute to its antitumor effects. JNJ-17029259 delays the growth of a wide range of human tumor xenografts in nude mice when administered orally as single-agent therapy. Histological examination revealed that the tumors have evidence of reduced vascularity after treatment. In addition, JNJ-17029259 enhances the effects of the conventional chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin and paclitaxel in xenograft models when administered orally in combination therapy. An orally available angiogenesis inhibitor that can be used in conjunction with standard chemotherapeutic agents to augment their activity may have therapeutic benefit in stopping the progression of cancer and preventing metastasis.
  Molecular Pharmacology 10/2004; 66(3):635-47. · 4.88 Impact Factor
• Article: Mutagenesis Studies of the Human Erythropoietin Receptor

  Francis P. Barbone, Steven A. Middleton, Dana L. Johnson, Frank J. McMahon, Jennifer Tullai, Robert H. Gruninger, Adriane E. Schilling, Linda K. Jolliffe, Linda S. Mulcahy
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  ABSTRACT: Mutagenesis of the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) permits analysis of the contribution that individual amino acid residues make to erythropoietin (EPO) binding. We employed both random and site-specific mutagenesis to determine the function of amino acid residues in the extracellular domain (referred to as EPO binding protein, EBP) of the EPOR. Residues were chosen for site-specific alanine substitution based on the results of the random mutagenesis or on their homology to residues that are conserved or have been reported to be involved in ligand binding in other receptors of the cytokine receptor family. Site-specific mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli as soluble EBP and analyzed for EPO binding in several different assay formats. In addition, selected mutant proteins were expressed as full-length EPOR on the surface of COS cells and analyzed for 125I-EPO binding in receptor binding assays. Using these methods, we have identified residues that appear to be involved in EPO binding as well as other residues, most of which are conserved in receptors of the cytokine receptor family, that appear to be necessary for the proper folding and/or stability of the EPOR. We present correlations between these mutagenesis data and the recently solved crystal structure of the EBP with a peptide ligand.
  Journal of Biological Chemistry 02/1997; 272(8):4985-4992. · 4.77 Impact Factor