ME3183, a novel phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, exhibits potent anti-inflammatory effects and is well tolerated in a non-clinical study.

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are expected to exhibit efficacy against inflammatory diseases due to their broad pharmacological activity. The launched PDE4 inhibitors apremilast, crisaborole, and roflumilast have not exhibited sufficient inhibitory potential due to poor margins of effectiveness and tolerability. In this report, we describe the non-clinical efficacy, brain translocation, and vomit-inducing effects of ME3183 compared with apremilast. ME3183 showed extensive cytokine suppression in vitro studies using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and T cells. ME3183 also significantly suppressed skin inflammation in a chronic oxazolone-induced dermatitis model and showed antipruritic effects in a substance P-induced mouse pruritus model. In these in vitro and in vivo studies, ME3183 also significantly suppressed cytokines, and focusing on tumor necrosis factor-α as a psoriasis-related cytokine and interleukin-4 as an atopic dermatitis-related cytokine, ME3183 potently inhibited both cytokines. ME3183 showed in vivo efficacy at lower doses than apremilast. The brain distribution of ME3183 was sufficiently low in mice and rats. The effective dose of ME3183 for emesis was similar to that of apremilast in ferrets. Given its high-potency inhibitory effects, ME3183 would have a wide margin of efficacy and tolerability. These wide margins demonstrate the effectiveness of ME3183 in treating many inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. An on-going phase 2 trial is expected to further demonstrate the efficacy and safety of ME3183.

Characterization of compound A, a novel lincomycin derivative active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of causative bacteria for hospital- and community-acquired infections. In order to overcome MRSA infection, we synthesized compound A, a lincomycin derivative, and evaluated the biological properties. The MIC50 and MIC90 values of compound A against MRSA clinical isolates, which were susceptible to clindamycin, from infected skin in Japan were 0.12 and 0.25 µg ml-1, respectively, and those against hospital-acquired MRSA with clindamycin resistance were 1.0 and 2.0 µg ml-1, respectively. Linezolid non-susceptible MRSA selected in the laboratory had mutations in the 23S rRNA gene and exhibited cross-resistance to compound A. MRSA non-susceptible to compound A selected in laboratory was not cross-resistant to linezolid, implying that the binding site to 23S rRNA partly overlaps with clindamycin and linezolid. The in vivo efficacies of compound A against mouse skin abscess model infected with clindamycin-susceptible and -resistant MRSA were superior to those of clindamycin and linezolid, respectively. The well-known linezolid-induced myelosuppression is caused by its inhibitory effect on mitochondrial function, but inhibition was weaker for compound A than that of linezolid. In short, compound A has broader anti-MRSA activities than clindamycin and linezolid due to additional binding site, and demonstrated preferable safety profile as a potential anti-MRSA drug.

Synthesis and SARs of novel lincomycin derivatives Part 5: optimization of lincomycin analogs exhibiting potent antibacterial activities by chemical modification at the 6- and 7-positions.

In order to modify lincomycin at the C-6 and C-7 positions, we prepared target molecules, which have substituted pipecolinic acid at the 6-amino group and a para-substituted phenylthio group at the C-7 position, in application of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling as a key reaction. As the result of structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies at the 6-position, analogs possessing 4'-cis-(cyclopropylmethyl)piperidine showed significantly strong antibacterial activities against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes with an erm gene. On the basis of SAR, we further synthesized novel analogs possessing 4'-cis-(cyclopropylmethyl)piperidine by transformation of a C-7 substituent. Consequently, novel derivatives possessing a para-heteroaromatic-phenylthio group at the C-7 position exhibited significantly strong activities against S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes with an erm gene even when compared with those of telithromycin. Finally, in vivo efficacy of selected two derivatives was evaluated in a rat pulmonary infection model with resistant S. pneumoniae with erm + mef genes. One of them exhibited strong and constant in vivo efficacy in this model, and both compounds showed strong in vivo efficacy against resistant S. pneumoniae with a mef gene.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel lincomycin derivatives. IV. Optimization of an N-6 substituent.

The design and synthesis of lincomycin derivatives modified at the C-6 and C-7 positions are described. A substituent at the C-7 position is a 5-aryl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl-thio group that generates antibacterial activities against macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes carrying an erm gene. An additional modification at the C-6 position was explored in application of information regarding pirlimycin and other related compounds. These dual modifications were accomplished by using methyl α-thiolincosaminide as a starting material. As a result of these dual modifications, the antibacterial activities were improved compared with those of compounds with a single modification at the C-7 position. The antibacterial activities of selected compounds in this report against macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes with an erm gene were superior to those of telithromycin.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel lincomycin derivatives. III. Optimization of a phenyl thiadiazole moiety.

Lincomycin derivatives that have a 5-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl thio moiety at the 7-position were synthesized. 5-Substituted 2-nitrophenyl derivatives showed potent antibacterial activities against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes with erm gene. Antibacterial activities of the 4,5-di-substituted 2-nitrophenyl derivatives were generally comparable to those of telithromycin (TEL) against S. pneumoniae with erm gene and clearly superior to those of TEL against S. pyogenes with erm gene. Compounds 6 and 10c that have a methoxy group at the 5-position of the benzene ring exhibited activities comparable to TEL against Haemophilus influenzae. These results suggest that lincomycin derivatives modified at the 7-position would be promising compounds as a clinical candidate. We would like to dedicate this article to the special issue for late Professor Dr. Hamao Umezawa in The Journal of Antibiotics.The Journal of Antibiotics advance online publication, 5 July 2017; doi:10.1038/ja.2017.59.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel lincomycin derivatives. Part 4: synthesis of novel lincomycin analogs modified at the 6- and 7-positions and their potent antibacterial activities.

To modify lincomycin (LCM) at the C-6 and the C-7 positions, we firstly prepared various substituted proline intermediates (7, 11-15 and 17). These proline intermediates were coupled with methyl 1-thio-α-lincosamide and tetrakis-O-trimethylsilylation followed by selective deprotection of the TMS group at the 7-position gave a wide variety of key intermediates (23-27, 47 and 50). Then, we synthesized a variety of novel LCM analogs modified at the 7-position in application of the Mitsunobu reaction, an SN2 reaction, and a Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction. Compounds 34 and 35 (1'-NH derivatives) exhibited enhanced antibacterial activities against resistant pathogens with erm gene compared with the corresponding 1'-N-methyl derivatives (3 and 37). On the basis of reported SAR, we modified the 4'-position of LCM derivatives possessing a 5-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl group at the C-7 position. Compound 56 showed significantly potent antibacterial activities against S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes with erm gene, and its activities against S. pneumoniae with erm gene were improved compared with those of 34 and 57. Although we synthesized novel analogs by transformation of a C-7 substituent focusing on the 1'-demethyl framework to prepare very potent analogs 73 and 75, it was impossible to generate novel derivatives exhibiting stronger antibacterial activities against S. pneumoniae with erm gene compared with 56.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel lincomycin derivatives. II. Exploring (7S)-7-(5-aryl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl-thio)-7-deoxylincomycin derivatives.

The synthesis and antibacterial activity of (7S)-7-(5-aryl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl-thio)-7-deoxylincomycin derivatives are described. These derivatives were mainly prepared by the Mitsunobu reaction of 2,3,4-tris-O-(trimethylsilyl)lincomycin and the corresponding thiols. Exploring structure-activity relationships of the substituent at the 5 position of a thiadiazole ring revealed that compounds with the ortho substituted phenyl group showed improved antibacterial activities against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes with erm gene compared with the reported compound (1) that had an unsubstituted benzene ring.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel lincomycin derivatives part 3: discovery of the 4-(pyrimidin-5-yl)phenyl group in synthesis of 7(S)-thiolincomycin analogs.

Novel lincomycin derivatives possessing an aryl phenyl group or a heteroaryl phenyl group at the C-7 position via sulfur atom were synthesized by Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 7(S)-7-deoxy-7-thiolincomycin (5) with various aryl halides. This reaction is the most useful method to synthesize a variety of 7(S)-7-deoxy-7-thiolincomycin derivatives. On the basis of analysis of structure-activity relationships of these novel lincomycin derivatives, we found that (a) the location of basicity in the C-7 side chain was an important factor to enhance antibacterial activities, and (b) compounds 22, 36, 42, 43 and 44 had potent antibacterial activities against a variety of Streptococcus pneumoniae with erm gene, which cause severe respiratory infections, even compared with our C-7-modified lincomycin analogs (1-4) reported previously. Furthermore, 7(S)-configuration was found to be necessary for enhancing antibacterial activities from comparison of configurations at the 7-position of 36 (S-configuration) and 41 (R-configuration).

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel lincomycin derivatives. I. Enhancement of antibacterial activities by introduction of substituted azetidines.

The synthesis and antibacterial activity of (7S)-7-sulfur-azetidin-3-yl lincomycin derivatives are described. Modification was achieved by a simple reaction of (7R)-7-O-methanesulfonyllincomycin and the corresponding substituted azetidine-2-thiol. Several compounds first showed moderate antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes with erm gene as lincomycin derivatives.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel lincomycin derivatives. Part 2. Synthesis of 7(S)-7-deoxy-7-(4-morpholinocarbonylphenylthio)lincomycin and its 3-dimensional analysis with rRNA.

Lincomycin derivatives, which possess a hetero ring at the C-7 position via sulfur atom, were synthesized by three types of reactions: (1) Mitsunobu reaction of 2,3,4-tris-O-(trimethylsiliyl)lincomycin (1) with the corresponding thiol, (2) SN2 reaction of 7-O-methanesulfonyl-2,3,4-tris-O-(trimethylsiliyl)lincomycin (2) with the corresponding thiol and (3) Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 7-deoxy-7-epi-7-mercaptolincomycin (35) with the corresponding aryl halides. As a result, compound 28 had potent antibacterial activities against major pathogens, which caused respiratory infections, even compared with clindamycin. On the other hand, compound 38 showed most potent activities against a variety of Streptococcus pneumoniae with erm gene.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel lincomycin derivatives. Part 1. Newly generated antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria with erm gene by C-7 modification.

We synthesized 7(S)-7-deoxy-7-arylthiolincomycin derivatives possessing a heterocyclic ring at the C-7 position via sulfur atom by either Mitsunobu reaction of 2,3,4-tris-O-(trimethylsiliyl)lincomycin or SN2 reaction of 7-O-methanesulfonyl-2,3,4-tri-O-trimethylsiliyllincomycin. As a result, 7(S)-7-deoxy-7-arylthiolincomycin derivatives 16, 21 and 27 exhibited antibacterial activities against respiratory infection-related Gram-positive bacteria with erm gene, although clindamycin did not have any activities against those pathogens. Furthermore, 7(S)-configuration of lincomycin derivatives was found to be necessary for enhancing antibacterial activities from the comparison results of configurations of 16 (S-configuration) and 30 (R-configuration) at the 7-position.

Discovery of 4-Pyridone derivatives as specific inhibitors of enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI) with antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

4-Pyridone derivatives were identified as potent inhibitors of FabI, the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. 1-Substituted derivatives of a hit compound exhibited potent antibacterial activities against S. aureus. Target specificity of 4-pyridone derivatives was confirmed by the strong inhibition of lipid synthesis in macromolecular biosynthesis assay and also by the reduced antimicrobial activity against triclosan-resistant S. aureus isolates possessing a point mutation (Ala95Val) in FabI. Two 4-pyridone compounds exhibited strong antibacterial activities against 30 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) with MIC(90) of 0.5 and 2 mug/ml, respectively. Moreover, they retained activity against S. aureus with a mutation affecting FabI residue 204, which was recently found to be associated with triclosan resistance in clinical isolates of S. aureus. In conclusion, we have identified a novel chemical series, 4-pyridone derivatives, as specific inhibitors of FabI with potent antibacterial activity against S. aureus.

4-Pyridone derivatives as new inhibitors of bacterial enoyl-ACP reductase FabI.

Bacterial FAS provides essential fatty acids for use in the assembly of key cellular components. Among them, FabI is an enoyl-ACP reductase which catalyzes the final and rate-limiting step of bacterial FAS. It is a potential target for selective antibacterial action, because it shows low overall sequence homology with mammalian enzymes. Until today, various compounds have been reported as inhibitors of bacterial FabI-inhibitory compounds. To discover novel small-molecular FabI inhibitors, we initially screened our compound library for inhibitory activity toward FabI of Escherichia coli. And discovered 4-pyridone derivatives as a lead compound. Structure optimization studies yielded 4-pyridone derivatives 7n having strong FabI-inhibitory and antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. There have been no reports concerning 4-pyridone derivatives as FabI inhibitor.