Tosedostat is an inhibitor of aminopeptidases (IC
50s = 100, 150, and 220 nM for LAP, PUSA, and aminopeptidase N, respectively).
1 It inhibits proliferation of human leukemia cell lines
in vitro irrespective of p53, PTEN, or K-RAS mutational status (IC
50s = 10-770 nM). Tosedostat induces up-regulation of genes in amino acid transport and metabolic pathways and inhibits phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) substrates in HL-60 cells, markers of amino acid depletion.
In vivo, tosedostat (100 mg/kg) reduces total tumor burden and the number of spontaneous metastases in a mouse MDA-MB-435 xenograft model. Formulations containing tosedostat are under clinical investigation for the treatment of myeloid leukemia.