Discovery of N-[4-[6-tert-butyl-5-methoxy-8-(6-methoxy-2-oxo-1H-pyridin-3-yl)-3-quinolyl]phenyl]methanesulfonamide (RG7109), a potent inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase.

In the past few years, there have been many advances in the efforts to cure patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The ultimate goal of these efforts is to develop a combination therapy consisting of only direct-antiviral agents (DAAs). In this paper, we discuss our efforts that led to the identification of a bicyclic template with potent activity against the NS5B polymerase, a critical enzyme on the life cycle of HCV. In continuation of our exploration to improve the stilbene series, the 3,5,6,8-tetrasubstituted quinoline core was identified as replacement of the stilbene moiety. 6-Methoxy-2(1H)-pyridone was identified among several heterocyclic headgroups to have the best potency. Solubility of the template was improved by replacing a planar aryl linker with a saturated pyrrolidine. Profiling of the most promising compounds led to the identification of quinoline 41 (RG7109), which was selected for advancement to clinical development.

Unbound drug concentration in brain homogenate and cerebral spinal fluid at steady state as a surrogate for unbound concentration in brain interstitial fluid.

The objective of the present study was to examine the accuracy of using unbound brain concentration determined by a brain homogenate method (C(ub)), cerebral spinal fluid concentration (C(CSF)), and unbound plasma concentration (C(up)) as a surrogate for brain interstitial fluid concentration determined by brain microdialysis (C(m)). Nine compounds-carbamazepine, citalopram, ganciclovir, metoclopramide, N-desmethylclozapine, quinidine, risperidone, 9-hydroxyrisperidone, and thiopental-were selected, and each was administered as an intravenous bolus (up to 5 mg/kg) followed by a constant intravenous infusion (1-9 mg/kg/h) for 6 h in rats. For eight of the nine compounds, the C(ub)s were within 3-fold of their C(m); thiopental had a C(m) 4-fold of its C(ub). The C(CSF)s of eight of the nine compounds were within 3-fold of their corresponding C(m); 9-hydroxyrisperidone showed a C(CSF) 5-fold of its C(m). The C(up)s of five of the nine compounds were within 3-fold of their C(m); four compounds (ganciclovir, metoclopramide, quinidine, and 9-hydroxyrisperidone) had C(up)s 6- to 14-fold of their C(m). In conclusion, the C(ub) and C(CSF) were within 3-fold of the C(m) for the majority of the compounds tested. The C(up)s were within 3-fold of C(m) for lipophilic non-P-glycoprotein (-P-gp) substrates and greater than 3-fold of C(m) for hydrophilic or P-gp substrates. The present study indicates that the brain homogenate and cerebral spinal fluid methods may be used as surrogate methods to predict brain interstitial fluid concentrations within 3-fold of error in drug discovery and development settings.