Identification of novel PI3K inhibitors through a scaffold hopping strategy.

A scaffold hopping strategy, including intellectual property availability assessment, was successfully applied for the discovery of novel PI3K inhibitors. Compounds were designed based on the chemical structure of the lead compound ETP-46321, a potent PI3K inhibitor, previously reported by our group. The new generated compounds showed good in vitro potency and selectivity, proved to inhibit potently the phosphorylation of AKT in cells and demonstrated to be orally bioavailable, thus becoming potential back-up candidates for ETP-46321.