Discovery of G2019S-Selective Leucine Rich Repeat Protein Kinase 2 inhibitors with in vivo efficacy

Mutations in the Leucine Rich Repeat Protein Kinase 2 gene (LRRK2) are the most common genetic causes of Parkinson's Disease (PD). The G2019S mutation is the most common inherited LRRK2 mutation, occurs in the kinase domain, and results in increased kinase activity. We report the discovery and development of compound 38, an indazole-based, G2019S-selective (> 2000-fold vs. WT) LRRK2 inhibitor capable of entering rodent brain (K-p = 0.5) and selectively inhibiting G2019S-LRRK2. The compounds disclosed herein present a starting point for further development of brain penetrant G2019S selective inhibitors that hopefully reduce lung phenotype side-effects and pave the way to providing a precision medicine for people with PD who carry the G2019S mutation. (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

This study reports the development of a selective LRRK2 inhibitor for the G2019S mutation, which can enter the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier. These compounds provide a starting point for the development of brain-penetrant selective inhibitors targeting the G2019S mutation.