Within the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) rely on signaling through FMS kinase to promote tumor growth, angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and metastasis. In addition, FMS-expressing macrophages communicate with the adaptive immune system, which can lead to cancer immunotolerance. Osteoclasts also depend on FMS kinase for differentiation and growth, and play a direct role in the ability of a tumor to metastasize to the bone and progress. Taken together, FMS kinase is an excellent target for small molecule therapy of tumor growth and bone metastasis. Using Deciphera Pharmaceuticals' approach to kinase inhibition, potent and specific FMS kinase inhibitors have been identified that achieve single digit nanomolar inhibition in biochemical and cellular assays of FMS activity. Due to their binding mode, these inhibitors retain potency in the presence of high ATP concentrations and also exhibit long off-rates from FMS kinase. Development candidate DCC-3014 is highly selective, inhibiting no other kinases within 100-fold of FMS potency, including related kinases KIT, PDGFRs, FLT3, and VEGFR2. DCC-3014 exhibits potent and durable inhibition of FMS in vivo in a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model. In a variety of cancer models, DCC-3014 or related analogs slow tumor growth, decrease tumor-promoting macrophages, and protect against osteolytic bone invasion. DCC-3014 is currently undergoing formal preclinical development.

Citation Format: Bryan D. Smith, Michael D. Kaufman, Cynthia B. Leary, Molly M. Hood, Wei-Ping Lu, Benjamin A. Turner, Subha Vogeti, Scott C. Wise, Daniel L. Flynn. The specific FMS kinase inhibitor, DCC-3014, durably inhibits FMS kinase in vivo and blocks cancer bone invasiveness. [abstract]. In: Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Cellular Heterogeneity in the Tumor Microenvironment; 2014 Feb 26-Mar 1; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A53. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.CHTME14-A53