Exploring novel Apalutamide analogues as potential therapeutics for prostate cancer: design, molecular docking investigations and molecular dynamics simulation

Prostate cancer (PC) ranks as the second most frequent type of cancer in men and is the fourth largest cause of mortality worldwide. Androgenic hormones such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are crucial for the development and progression of the prostate gland. Androgenic hormones bind to androgen receptors (AR) and trigger the synthesis of many genes that stimulate the growth of prostate cells, initiating PC growth. Apalutamide (APL) is a non-steroidal antiandrogen drug used to treat PC; however, it also causes a variety of toxicities and resistance during the treatment.