Novel dual nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase
(NAMPT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors were designed by
a pharmacophore fusion approach. The thiazolocarboxamide inhibitors
were highly active for both targets. In particular, compound 7f (NAMPT IC50 = 15 nM, HDAC1 IC50 =
2 nM) showed potent in vivo antitumor efficacy in
the HCT116 xenograft model. The study offers a new strategy for multitarget
antitumor drug discovery by simultaneously acting on cancer metabolism
and epigenetics.