Synthesis and profiling of benzylmorpholine 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane analogue N205: Towards tetraoxane scaffolds with potential for single dose cure of malaria.

A series of aryl carboxamide and benzylamino dispiro 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane analogues have been designed and synthesized in a short synthetic sequence from readily available starting materials. From this series of endoperoxides, molecules with in vitro IC50s versus Plasmodium falciparum (3D7) as low as 0.84 nM were identified. Based on an assessment of blood stability and in vitro microsomal stability, N205 (10a) was selected for rodent pharmacokinetic and in vivo antimalarial efficacy studies in the mouse Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium falciparum Pf3D70087/N9 severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse models. The results indicate that the 4-benzylamino derivatives have excellent profiles with a representative of this series, N205, an excellent starting point for further lead optimization studies.

A tetraoxane-based antimalarial drug candidate that overcomes PfK13-C580Y dependent artemisinin resistance.

K13 gene mutations are a primary marker of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria that threatens the long-term clinical utility of artemisinin-based combination therapies, the cornerstone of modern day malaria treatment. Here we describe a multinational drug discovery programme that has delivered a synthetic tetraoxane-based molecule, E209, which meets key requirements of the Medicines for Malaria Venture drug candidate profiles. E209 has potent nanomolar inhibitory activity against multiple strains of P. falciparum and P. vivax in vitro, is efficacious against P. falciparum in in vivo rodent models, produces parasite reduction ratios equivalent to dihydroartemisinin and has pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics compatible with a single-dose cure. In vitro studies with transgenic parasites expressing variant forms of K13 show no cross-resistance with the C580Y mutation, the primary variant observed in Southeast Asia. E209 is a superior next generation endoperoxide with combined pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features that overcome the liabilities of artemisinin derivatives.

Artemisinin-polypyrrole conjugates: synthesis, DNA binding studies and preliminary antiproliferative evaluation.

Greater than the sum of its parts: Artemisinins are currently in phase I-II clinical trials against breast, colorectal and non-small-cell lung cancers. In an attempt to offer increased specificity, a series of hybrid artemisinin-polypyrrole minor groove binder conjugates are described. DNA binding/modelling studies and preliminary biological evaluation give insights into their mechanism of action and the potential of this strategy.

Metabolic and chemical origins of cross-reactive immunological reactions to arylamine benzenesulfonamides: T-cell responses to hydroxylamine and nitroso derivatives.

Exposure to sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is associated with T-cell-mediated hypersensitivity reactions in human patients. T-cells can be stimulated by the putative metabolite nitroso SMX, which binds irreversibly to protein. The hydroxylamine and nitroso derivatives of three arylamine benzenesulfonamides, namely, sulfamethozaxole, sulfadiazine, and sulfapyridine, were synthesized, and their T-cell stimulatory capacity in the mouse was explored. Nitroso derivatives were synthesized by a three-step procedure involving the formation of nitro and hydroxylamine sulfonamide intermediates. For immune activation, female Balb-c strain mice were administered nitroso sulfonamides four times weekly for 2 weeks. After 14 days, isolated splenocytes were incubated with the parent compounds, hydroxylamine metabolites, and nitroso derivatives to measure antigen-specific proliferation. To explore the requirement of irreversible protein binding for spleen cell activation, splenocytes were incubated with nitroso derivatives in the presence or absence of glutathione. Splenocytes from nitroso sulfonamide-sensitized mice proliferated and secreted interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, and granulocyte monocyte colony-stimulating factor following stimulation with nitroso derivatives but not the parent compounds. Splenocytes from sensitized mice were also stimulated to proliferate with hydroxylamine and nitroso derivatives of the structurally related sulfonamides. The addition of glutathione inhibited the nitroso-specific T-cell response. Hydroxylamine metabolites were unstable in aqueous solution: Spontaneous transformation yielded appreciable amounts of nitroso and azoxy compounds as well as the parent compounds within 0.1 h. T-cell cross-reactivity with nitroso sulfonamides provides a mechanistic explanation as to why structurally related arylamine benzenesulfonamides are contraindicated in hypersensitive patients.

Piperidine dispiro-1,2,4-trioxane analogues.

Dispiro N-Boc-protected 1,2,4-trioxane 2 was synthesised via Mo(acac)(2) catalysed perhydrolysis of N-Boc spirooxirane followed by condensation of the resulting beta-hydroperoxy alcohol 10 with 2-adamantanone. N-Boc 1,2,4-trioxane 2 was converted to the amine 1,2,4-trioxane hydrochloride salt 3 which was subsequently used to prepare derivatives (4-7). Several of these novel 1,2,4-trioxanes had nanomolar antimalarial activity versus the 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Amine intermediate 3 represents a versatile derivative for the preparation of achiral arrays of trioxane analogues with antimalarial activity.

Two-step synthesis of achiral dispiro-1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes with outstanding antimalarial activity, low toxicity, and high-stability profiles.

A rapid, two-step synthesis of a range of dispiro-1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes with potent antimalarial activity both in vitro and in vivo has been achieved. These 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes have been proven to be superior to 1,2,4-trioxolanes in terms of stability and to be superior to trioxane analogues in terms of both stability and activity. Selected analogues have in vitro nanomolar antimalarial activity and good oral activity and are nontoxic in screens for both cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The synthesis of a fluorescent 7-nitrobenza-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) tagged tetraoxane probe and use of laser scanning confocal microscopy techniques have shown that tagged molecules accumulate selectively only in parasite infected erythrocytes and that intraparasitic formation of adducts could be inhibited by co-incubation with the iron chelator desferrioxamine (DFO).