Development of Potent and Cell Active 5-Azaindole-Based Tau Tubulin Kinase Inhibitors

Abstract We have developed and characterized a potent and cell active tau tubulin kinase 1 and 2 (TTBK1 and TTBK2) inhibitor, 13 . Compound 13 demonstrates in-cell, kinome-wide selectivity, and potently inhibits both TTBK1 and TTBK2. As part of our medicinal chemistry campaign, we also identified a structurally similar negative control, compound 5 , which lacks in-cell affinity for TTBK1 and TTBK2. Based on their substrates, which include TDP-43, tau, and tubulin, TTBK1 and TTBK2 inhibition has been pursued as a therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal lobe dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. TTBK2 is also an effector of ciliogenesis, acting in concert with CEP164, CP110, and CEP83 to initiate the biogenesis of primary cilia. The development of selective chemical tools for these kinases facilitates investigation into TTBK1/2-mediated pathways and potential disease-altering ramifications linked to their pharmacological perturbation.