Insights Into Benzothiazolyl‐Coupled Azetidinone Moieties Toward EGFR Binding and Stability Analysis—Evidence From Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulation

Abstract

Breast cancer, a formidable threat to women's health, mainly manifests in the HER2 subtype, affecting approximately one in five women. Thus, this study endeavors to pioneer novel approaches by exploring the efficacy of benzothiazole‐coupled azetidinone derivatives against EGFR. We aimed to elucidate their potential by employing a comprehensive array of in silico methodologies, including molecular docking, pharmacokinetics profiling, pharmacophore mapping, molecular dynamic simulations, and MMPBSA analysis. Remarkably, our results demonstrate that our designed molecules adhere to Lipinski's rule and comply with essential physiochemical and druggable properties, affirming the promise of these compounds. Ligand MS60 emerges as a lead, showcasing the most substantial interaction with the EGFR receptor, underscored by its impressive docking score of −8.199 kcal/mol. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations conducted via GROMACS corroborate the stability of the MS60‐EGFR complex, portraying minimal fluctuations. This assertion is further validated through MMPBSA, PCA analysis, DCCM, and FEL studies, underscoring the robustness of our findings. We have designed the pharmacophore model to unravel critical steric and electronic attributes essential for effective supramolecular interactions with the EGFR receptor. Notably, the presence of the R10, R11, and A4 groups within the ligands underscores their pivotal role in eliciting pharmacological activity, offering valuable insights for further exploration and development.