Quinazolines as apoptosis inducers and inhibitors: A review of patent literature

Quinazoline scaffold has been successfully utilized for development of various inhibitors of tubulin, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), polo like kinases (PLKs), Hedgehog-Gli signaling pathway and protein kinase B (PKB) /Akt pathway. Compounds based on quinazolines have shown efficacies in μM to nM range in various cancer cell lines and thus could be useful scaffolds for development of both apoptosis inducers as well as inhibitors. This compilation is based on various patents published till 2015 and divides the quinazolines in two main categories: Quinazolines as apoptosis inducers and as apoptosis inhibitors. These two main categories are further sub-categorized based on the use/pharmacological indications for these classes of patented compounds. This review will act as a tool for the researchers working on exploring the anticancer potential of quinazoline as a privileged heterocyclic. The promising anticancer profile of some of the quinazoline based compounds clearly highlights the clinical potential of this heterocycle.