Identification of the Clinical Candidate PF-07284890 (ARRY-461), a Highly Potent and Brain Penetrant BRAF Inhibitor for the Treatment of Cancer

Mutant BRAF^V600E is one of the most common oncogenic drivers in metastatic melanoma. While first generation BRAF^V600E inhibitors are capable of controlling tumors systemically, they are unable to adequately treat tumors that have metastasized to the brain due to insufficient penetration across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Through a combination of structure-based drug design (SBDD) and the optimization of physiochemical properties to enhance BBB penetration, we herein report the discovery of the brain-penetrant BRAF^V600E inhibitor PF-07284890 (ARRY-461). In mice studies, ARRY-461 proved to be highly brain-penetrant and was able to drive regressions of A375 BRAF^V600E tumors implanted both subcutaneously and intracranially. Based on compelling preclinical safety and efficacy studies, ARRY-461 was progressed into a Phase 1 A/B clinical trial (NCT04543188).