LX9211 A Selective Inhibitor of AAK1 (Adapter- Associated Kinase) for Neuropathic Pain? Some Thoughts on Selectivity and Specificity

Research Article

Austin Neurol. 2018; 3(1): 1013.

LX9211 A Selective Inhibitor of AAK1 (Adapter- Associated Kinase) for Neuropathic Pain? Some Thoughts on Selectivity and Specificity

Hesselink JMK *

Faculty of Health, University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany

*Corresponding author: Keppel Hesselink JM, Faculty of Health, University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany; Institute for Neuropathic Pain, the Netherlands; Email: jan@neuropathie.nu

Received: April 30, 2018; Accepted: June 08, 2018; Published: June 15, 2018

Abstract

New leads in neuropathic pain anno 2018 are relative rare, compared to other disorders, such as cancer. Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and Bristol- Myers Squibb Company together developed a number of newly synthesized Adapter-Associated Kinase I (AAK1) inhibitors, protected by patents of Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, among which the small molecule LX9211. LX9211 is currently in phase I. AAK1 is a specific kinase, belonging to the Numb-associated family of protein kinases (NAKs). These kinases are known to exert broad biological effects, and AAK1 is instrumental for the invagination of receptor clusters, via clathrin, and thus plays a role in receptor clearance from the membrane. By inhibiting this kinase, receptors belonging to the Gaba-ergic system are thought to be salvaged from clearance and thus AAK1 inhibitors are putative treatments for neuropathic pain. However, the selectivity and specificity of AAK1 inhibitors is still a matter if investigation.

Introduction

It must have been quite a Sisyphus labor, to test 3097 homozygous mouse knockout lines in hot-plate and formalin-paw assays in order to identify novel pain targets. Scientists from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals (LP) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) completed this impressive task and reported its result in 2016 [1]. Their work must have started before 2012, when they first filed patents on results related to these findings. In 2016 they reported their findings in a well-designed paper, including presenting supplemental material in a separate addendum. The paper is an example of how one should address early drug-development issues, and includes dose-finding data and plasma-levels of drugs administered related to their efficacy.

In pharmacology, it is often stated that a drug is highly selective for one receptor only. If so, it is a clean drug, a drug without a promiscuous receptor profile. If a drug has one effect only on biological systems, it is classified as a drug with specificity. Clearly many drugs developed are selective rather than specific [2]. We will have a closer look into the highly innovative approach taken by LP and BMS related to a new target for pain and the development of their lead LX9211, claimed to be a selective inhibitor of AAK1.

In a recent published report, it was pointed out that the industrywide pain pipeline consists of only 125 Novel Chemical Entities (NCE’s) in the clinical phase of development, most of which are related to non-opioid receptors. For comparison, the current pipeline for oncology consists of 1700 NCE’s in the clinical-stage [3]. Nearly all analgesics available (72) belong to one of the following 6 old classes: the NSAIDs, opioids, ionchannel (sodium and calcium) modulators, serotonergic, monoaminergic or gabaergic drugs [3]. In the last decade, only very few new analgesics entered the marketplace, such as tapentadol and milnacipram, both belonging to old classes of drugs. A new class of analgesics therefore would be highly welcome.

A innovative drug, belonging to a new class intended for the treatment of neuropathic pain, LX9211, is currently developed by LP; the drug was previously known as BMS-986176, and is a small molecule. LX9211 was first tested in humans in a phase I study, starting in September 2017 [4]. The special and interesting issue here is that the Adapter-Associated Kinase (AAK) pathway is a totally new target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

The Adapter-Associated Kinase 1(AAK1)

AAK1 belongs to a series of important kinases of the class of Numb-Associated family of protein Kinases (NAKs), together with amongst others BIKE/BMP2K (BMP-2-Inducible Kinase) and GAK (cyclin G-Associated Kinase). Earlier data already demonstrated that the family of NAKs is able to interact with a wide variety of ligands, and this was stipulated as suggestive for excellent druggability of NAK kinases [5]. Many different kinase inhibitors with excellent selectivity profiles described in the recent past, interacted significantly with members of the NAK family, for instance the JAK inhibitor momelotinib and the FLT3 inhibitor lestaurtinib, probably due to the similarity of the ATP binding sites of the enzymes belonging to the NAK family [5].

The function of the AAK1 pathway as an important regulator of clathrin-mediated endocytosis was first mentioned in 2012 [6]. The endocytosis process is key for the recycling of synaptic vesicles after neurotransmission as well as for receptor-mediated endocytosis. Thus, the AAK1 pathway plays a central role in many biological functions (Figure 1). The key question will be, can we by inhibiting the pathway treat neuropathic pain, without interfering in key biological functions related to the clathrin mediated endocytosis? And will AAK1 inhibitors not lead to off-target adverse events?

Citation: Hesselink JMK. LX9211 A Selective Inhibitor of AAK1 (Adapter-Associated Kinase) for Neuropathic Pain? Some Thoughts on Selectivity and Specificity. Austin Neurol. 2018; 3(1): 1013.