In vitro activity: Neratinib weakly inhibits tyrosine kinases KDR and Src with IC50 of 0.8 μM and 1.4 μM, respectively, being 14- and 24-fold less active compared with HER2. Neratinib displays no activity against other serine-threonine kinases such as Akt, cyclin D1/cdk4, cyclin E/cdk2, cyclin B1/cdk1, IKK-2, MK-2, PDK1, c-Raf, and Tpl-2, as well as the tyrosine kinase c-Met. Neratinib selectively inhibits the proliferation of 3T3 cells transfected with the HER2 (3T3/neu), as well as two other HER-2-overexpressing SK-Br-3 and BT474 cells with IC50 values of 2-3 nM, displaying>230-fold potency compared with non-transfected 3T3 cells as well as MDA-MB-435 and SW620 which are EGFR- and HER2-negative. Neratinib also inhibits the proliferation of EGFR-dependent A431 cells with an IC50 of 81 nM. Neratinib reduces HER2 receptor autophosphorylation in BT474 cells with an IC50 of 5 nM, and EGF-dependent phosphorylation of EGFR in A431 cells with IC50 of 3 nM. Blocking of HER-2 by Neratinib results in inhibition of downstream MAPK and Akt pathways with IC50 of 2 nM, more potently than Trastuzumab. Neratinib inhibits the cyclin D1 expression and the phosphorylation of the Rb-susceptibility gene production in BT474 cells with IC50 of 9 nM, leading to G1-S arrest and ultimately decreased cell proliferation.

Kinase Assay: Neratinib is prepared as 10 mg/mL stocks in DMSO and diluted in 25 mM HEPES (pH 7.5; 0.002 ng/mL-20 μg/mL). Purified recombinant COOH-terminal fragments of HER2 (amino acids 676-1255) or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (amino acids 645-1186) [diluted in 100 mM HEPES (pH 7.5) and 50% glycerol] is incubated with increasing concentrations of Neratinib in 4 mM HEPES (pH 7.5), 0.4 mM MnCl2, 20 μM sodium vanadate, and 0.2 mM DTT for 15 minutes at room temperature in 96-well ELISA plates. The kinase reaction is initiated by the addition of 40 μM ATP and 20 mM MgCl2 and allowed to proceed for 1 hour at room temperature. Plates are washed, and phosphorylation is detected using Europium-labeled anti-phospho-tyrosine antibodies (15 ng/well). After washing and enhancement steps, signal is detected using a Victor2 fluorescence reader (excitation wavelength 340 nm, emission wavelength 615 nm). The concentration of Neratinib that inhibits receptor phosphorylation by 50% (IC50) is calculated from inhibition curves.

Cell Assay: Cells (3T3, 3T3/neu, A431, BT474, SK-Br-3, MDA-MB-435, and SW480) are exposed to various concentrations of Neratinib for 2, or 6 days. Cell proliferation is determined using sulforhodamine B, a protein binding dye. Briefly, cells are fixed with 10% trichloroacetic acid and washed extensively with water. Cells are then stained with 0.1% sulforhodamine B and washed in 5% acetic acid. Protein-associated dye is solubilized in 10 mM Tris, and absorbance is measured at 450 nM. The concentration of Neratinib that inhibits cell proliferation by 50% (IC50) is determined from inhibition curves.

Cancer Res. 2004 Jun 1;64(11):3958-65.