Design and Biological Activity of a Novel Brain Penetrant Urea Compound Against Glioblastoma

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most lethal primary brain tumor, largely due to therapy-resistant glioma stem cells (GSCs) and the ability of non-stem cells to dedifferentiate under therapeutic pressure. We developed MXC-017, a novel urea-based compound that crosses the blood-brain-barrier, directly targets GSCs, and prevents radiation-induced GSC formation. Using click chemistry pull-down and mass spectrometry, we identified vimentin as the target of MXC-017, further validated by in silico docking. Global transcriptomic profiling (bulk RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA-seq analyses revealed MXC-017s efficacy with minimal off-target effects, supported by metabolic and kinome assays. Normal cell toxicity was negligible in fibroblasts, microglia, astrocytes, and murine neural progenitors. Maximum tolerated dose was identified and we observed significantly extended median survival in 17 PDOX GBM models when treated with MXC-017 plus radiation, benchmarked against standard-of-care temozolomide. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of vimentin-targeting agents to overcome radiation resistance and improve outcomes for GBM patients. Statement of SignificanceGlioblastomas distinctive nature and the blood-brain barrier hamper therapies targeting therapy-resistant GSCs. We developed a novel urea-based agent that crosses the barrier, targets GSCs, and prevents radiation-induced GSC formation. With minimal off-target effects, reduced toxicity, and superior survival in PDOX models, it offers potential to improve outcome in GBM.