P450 interaction with farnesyl-protein transferase inhibitors metabolic stability, inhibitory potency, and P450 binding spectra in human liver microsomes.

Methyl substitution at the 2-position of the imidazole ring greatly improved drug metabolism profiles, in human liver microsomes, of ras farnesyl-protein transferase inhibitor (FTI) candidates for drug development. Methyl substitution markedly reduced the P450 inhibitory potency of non-substituted FTIs for CYP3A4 (by a factor of 12-403) and 2C9 (by a factor of 4.2-28), while it had little effect on the CYP2D6 enzyme. An immunochemical inhibition study demonstrated that CYP3A4 plays a predominant role in the metabolism of both non-substituted and 2-methyl-substituted imidazole-containing FTI candidates. Very strong type II binding spectra with human liver microsomes were observed for all non-substituted FTIs, while methyl substitution markedly weakened type II spectra or shifted the type of spectra from II to I. This indicated that methyl substitution on the imidazole moiety interfered with the substrate-P450 heme interaction, likely due to a steric effect caused by the methyl group. A kinetics study revealed that the methyl substitution increased V(max) and K(m) values to the same extent. These studies suggested that the 2-methyl substitution on the imidazole ring improved its drug metabolism profile by reducing the potential to inhibit CYP3A4-mediated metabolism without affecting intrinsic metabolic clearance (V(max)/K(m)).

Nonpeptide GPIIB/IIIA receptor antagonists. Part 21: C-6 flexibility and amide bond orientation are important factors in determining the affinity of compounds for activated or resting platelet receptors.

Compound affinity for activated and resting GPIIb/IIIa receptors may differ, and comparison of those differences determines selectivity. Structural features that influence selectivity are discussed.

Synthesis and biological activity of ras farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors. Tetrapeptide analogs with amino methyl and carbon linkages.

Replacement of the central amino methylene linkage of C[psi CH2NH]A[psi CH2NH]AX tetrapeptide inhibitors with carbon tethers led to compounds with potency in the nanomolar range. Some of the more potent olefinic compounds inhibit Ras processing in intact v-ras transformed NIH 3T3 cells with IC50 values in the 0.1 to 1 microM range, and inhibit selectively the anchorage-independent growth of H-ras transformed Rat1 cells at 10 microM.

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-pyridinone derivatives as HIV-1-specific reverse transcriptase inhibitors. 4. 3-[2-(Benzoxazol-2-yl)ethyl]-5-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one and analogues.

A new series of potent specific 2-pyridinone reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors was developed based on the preliminary development lead 3-[(phthalmido)ethyl]-5-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one (3), a non-nucleoside derivative which exhibited weak antiviral activity in cell culture against HIV-1 strain IIIB. One compound, 3-[(benzoxazol-2-yl)ethyl]-5-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one (9,L-696,229), which was a highly selective antagonist of the RT enzyme (IC50 = 23 nM) and which inhibited the spread of HIV-1 IIIB infection by > 95% in MT4 human T-lymphoid cell culture (CIC95 = 50-100 nM), was selected for clinical evaluation as an antiviral agent.

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-pyridinone derivatives as specific HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors. 3. Pyridyl and phenyl analogs of 3-aminopyridin-2(1H)-one.

In an ongoing effort to develop novel nonnucleoside, specific human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors, a series of 3-[(pyridylmethyl)amino]- and 3-[(phenylmethyl)amino]-2-pyridinone derivatives was synthesized and tested for HIV-1 RT inhibitory activity. The more potent compounds have a 2'-methoxy group and 4'- and/or 5'-aliphatic substituents on the pyridyl and phenyl rings. Several of the more potent compounds were also evaluated for antiviral activity in MT-4 cell culture. From this series of compounds, 3-[N-[(5-ethyl-2-methoxy-6-methyl-3-pyridyl)methyl]amino]-5-ethyl-6- methylpyridin-2(1H)-one (6) was selected for clinical evaluation.

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-pyridinone derivatives as HIV-1 specific reverse transcriptase inhibitors. 1. Phthalimidoalkyl and -alkylamino analogues.

A potent (IC50 = 30 nM), specific nonnucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor 3-[N-(phthalimidomethyl)amino]-5-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-2(1H) -one (1), was discovered through an in vitro screening program. This compound did not inhibit (IC50 > 300 microns) other DNA and RNA polymerases, including HIV-2 RT and SIV-RT. Unfortunately, hydrolytic instability of this (aminomethyl)phthalimide precluded use as an antiviral agent. In the first paper of this series, preliminary development efforts are described which produced ethylphthalimide 20, a hydrolytically stable compound with reduced (100-fold) HIV-1 RT inhibitory activity and weak (CIC95 = 40 microM) antiviral activity in H9 cells. Structure-activity studies demonstrated the importance of the 5-ethyl, 6-methyl substituent pattern on the pyridinone ring and the need for a flexible two-atom linker between the pyridinone and phthalimide heterocycles. These leads, 1 and 20, provided a basis for the further development of this structural class of inhibitors from which several compounds, the subject of accompanying reports, were selected for clinical evaluation.

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-pyridinone derivatives as HIV-1-specific reverse transcriptase inhibitors. 2. Analogues of 3-aminopyridin-2(1H)-one.

A series of nonnucleoside 3-aminopyridin-2(1H)-one derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for HIV-1 RT inhibitory properties. Several analogs proved to be potent and highly selective antagonists with in vitro IC50 values as low as 19 nM in the enzyme assay using rC.dG as template-primer. Two compounds from this series, 3-[[(4,7-dimethylbenzoxazol-2-yl)methyl]-amino]-5-ethyl-6-methy lpyridin-2(1H)-one (34, L-697,639) and the corresponding 4,7-dichloro analogue (37, L-697,661) inhibited the spread of HIV-1 IIIb infection by 95% in MT4 cell culture at concentrations of 25-50 nM and were selected for clinical trials as antiviral agents.

Pyridinone derivatives: specific human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors with antiviral activity.

Derivatives of pyridinones were found to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) activity and prevent the spread of HIV-1 infection in cell culture without an appreciable effect on other retroviral or cellular polymerases. 3-[( (4,7-Dimethyl-1,3-benzoxazol-2-yl) methyl]amino ]-5-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one (L-697,639) and 3-[[ (4,7-dichloro-1,3-benzoxazol-2-yl) methyl]amino]-5-ethyl-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one (L-697,661), two compounds within this series, had HIV-1 RT IC50 values in the range of 20-800 nM, depending upon the template-primer used. The most potent inhibition was obtained with rC.dG and dA.dT as template--primers. With rC.dG, reversible slow-binding non-competitive inhibition was observed. [3H]L-697,639 bound preferentially to enzyme-template-primer complexes. This binding was magnesium-dependent and saturable with a stoichiometry of 1 mol of [3H]L-697,639 per mol of RT heterodimer. Displacement of [3H]L-697,639 was seen with phosphonoformate. In human T-lymphoid-cell culture, L-697,639 and L-697,661 inhibited the spread of HIV-1 infection by at least 95% at concentrations of 12-200 nM. Synergism between 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine or dideoxyinosine and either of these compounds was also demonstrated in cell culture. Based upon their specificity for HIV-1 RT activity, template-primer dependence on potency and ability to displace [3H]L-697,639; a tetrahydroimidazo [4,5,1-jk] [1,4]-benzodiazepin-2(1H)-thione derivative R82150 and the dipyridodiazepinone BI-RG-587 appear to inhibit RT activity by the same mechanism as the pyridinones.