CM93, a novel covalent small molecule inhibitor targeting lung cancer with mutant EGFR

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have provided successful targeted therapies for patients with EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Osimertinib (AZD9291) is a third-generation irreversible EGFR TKI that has received regulatory approval for overcoming resistance mediated by the EGFR T790M mutation as well as a first-line treatment targeting EGFR activating mutations. However, a significant fraction of patients cannot tolerate the adverse effect associated with AZD9291. In addition, brain metastases are common in patients with NSCLN and remain a major clinical challenge. Here, we report the development of a novel third-generation EGFR TKI, CM93. Compared to AZD9291, CM93 exhibits improved lung cancer targeting and brain penetration and has demonstrated promising antitumor efficacy in mouse models of both EGFR-mutant NSCLC orthotopic and brain metastases. In addition, we find that CM93 confers superior safety benefits in mice. Our results demonstrate that further evaluations of CM93 in clinical studies for patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC and brain metastases are warranted. ### Competing Interest Statement Q.W. is a scientific consultant for Crimson Biotech. J.J.Z. is a founder and director of Crimson Biotech and Geode Therapeutics.