Design and synthesis of N-[6-(Substituted Aminoethylideneamino)-2-Hydroxyindan-1-yl]arylamides as selective and potent muscarinic M1 agonists.

The observation that cholinergic deafferentation of circuits projecting from forebrain basal nuclei to frontal and hippocampal circuits occurs in Alzheimer's disease has led to drug-targeting of muscarinic M1 receptors to alleviate cognitive symptoms. The high homology within the acetylcholine binding domain of this family however has made receptor-selective ligand development challenging. This work presents the synthesis scheme, pharmacokinetic and structure-activity-relationship study findings for M1-selective ligand, LY593093. Pharmacologically the compound acts as an orthosteric ligand. The homology modeling work presented however will illustrate that compound binding spans from the acetylcholine pocket to the extracellular loops of the receptor, a common allosteric vestibule for the muscarinic protein family. Altogether LY593093 represents a growing class of multi-topic ligands which interact with the receptors in both the ortho- and allosteric binding sites, but which exert their activation mechanism as an orthosteric ligand.

An Orally Available BACE1 Inhibitor That Affords Robust CNS Aß Reduction without Cardiovascular Liabilities.

BACE1 inhibition to prevent Aß peptide formation is considered to be a potential route to a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Previous efforts in our laboratory using a combined structure- and property-based approach have resulted in the identification of aminooxazoline xanthenes as potent BACE1 inhibitors. Herein, we report further optimization leading to the discovery of inhibitor 15 as an orally available and highly efficacious BACE1 inhibitor that robustly reduces CSF and brain Aß levels in both rats and nonhuman primates. In addition, compound 15 exhibited low activity on the hERG ion channel and was well tolerated in an integrated cardiovascular safety model.

Enhanced histamine H2 excitation of striatal cholinergic interneurons in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia.

Levodopa is the most effective therapy for the motor deficits of Parkinson's disease (PD), but long term treatment leads to the development of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID). Our previous studies indicate enhanced excitability of striatal cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) in mice expressing LID and reduction of LID when ChIs are selectively ablated. Recent gene expression analysis indicates that stimulatory H2 histamine receptors are preferentially expressed on ChIs at high levels in the striatum, and we tested whether a change in H2 receptor function might contribute to the elevated excitability in LID. Using two different mouse models of PD (6-hydroxydopamine lesion and Pitx3(ak/ak) mutation), we chronically treated the animals with either vehicle or l-DOPA to induce dyskinesia. Electrophysiological recordings indicate that histamine H2 receptor-mediated excitation of striatal ChIs is enhanced in mice expressing LID. Additionally, H2 receptor blockade by systemic administration of famotidine decreases behavioral LID expression in dyskinetic animals. These findings suggest that ChIs undergo a pathological change in LID with respect to histaminergic neurotransmission. The hypercholinergic striatum associated with LID may be dampened by inhibition of H2 histaminergic neurotransmission. This study also provides a proof of principle of utilizing selective gene expression data for cell-type-specific modulation of neuronal activity.

Development of 2-aminooxazoline 3-azaxanthenes as orally efficacious ß-secretase inhibitors for the potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The ß-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is one of the most hotly pursued targets for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. We used a structure- and property-based drug design approach to identify 2-aminooxazoline 3-azaxanthenes as potent BACE1 inhibitors which significantly reduced CSF and brain Aß levels in a rat pharmacodynamic model. Compared to the initial lead 2, compound 28 exhibited reduced potential for QTc prolongation in a non-human primate cardiovascular safety model.

Hydroxyethylamine-based inhibitors of BACE1: P1-P3 macrocyclization can improve potency, selectivity, and cell activity.

We describe a systematic study of how macrocyclization in the P1-P3 region of hydroxyethylamine-based inhibitors of ß-site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme (BACE1) modulates in vitro activity. This study reveals that in a number of instances macrocyclization of bis-terminal dienes leads to improved potency toward BACE1 and selectivity against cathepsin D (CatD), as well as greater amyloid ß-peptide (Aß)-lowering activity in HEK293T cells stably expressing APPSW. However, for several closely related analogs the benefits of macrocyclization are attenuated by the effects of other structural features in different regions of the molecules. X-ray crystal structures of three of these novel macrocyclic inhibitors bound to BACE1 revealed their binding conformations and interactions with the enzyme.

Use of structure based design to increase selectivity of pyridyl-cinnoline phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors against phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3).

We report our successful effort to increase the PDE3 selectivity of PDE10A inhibitor pyridyl cinnoline 1 using a combination of computational modeling and structural-activity relationship investigations. An analysis of the PDE3 catalytic domain compared to the co-crystal structure of cinnoline analog 1 in PDE10A revealed two areas of structural differences in the active sites and suggested areas on the scaffold that could be modified to exploit those unique structural features. Once SAR established the cinnoline as the optimal scaffold, modifications on the methoxy groups of the cinnoline and the methyl group on the pyridine led to the discovery of compounds 33 and 36. Both compounds achieved significant improvement in selectivity against PDE3 while maintaining their PDE10A inhibitory activity and in vivo metabolic stability comparable to 1.

Establishing the relationship between in vitro potency, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic parameters in a series of orally available, hydroxyethylamine-derived ß-secretase inhibitors.

Sequential proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by ß-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and the γ-secretase complex produces the amyloid-ß peptide (Aß), which is believed to play a critical role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aspartyl protease BACE1 catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the production of Aß, and as such it is considered to be an important target for drug development in AD. The development of a BACE1 inhibitor therapeutic has proven to be difficult. The active site of BACE1 is relatively large. Consequently, to achieve sufficient potency, many BACE1 inhibitors have required unfavorable physicochemical properties such as high molecular weight and polar surface area that are detrimental to efficient passage across the blood-brain barrier. Using a rational drug design approach we have designed and developed a new series of hydroxyethylamine-based inhibitors of BACE1 capable of lowering Aß levels in the brains of rats after oral administration. Herein we describe the in vitro and in vivo characterization of two of these molecules and the overall relationship of compound properties [e.g., in vitro permeability, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux, metabolic stability, and pharmacological potency] to the in vivo pharmacodynamic effect with more than 100 compounds across the chemical series. We demonstrate that high in vitro potency for BACE1 was not sufficient to provide central efficacy. A combination of potency, high permeability, low P-gp-mediated efflux, and low clearance was required for compounds to produce robust central Aß reduction after oral dosing.

Rapid identification of a novel small molecule phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) tracer.

A radiolabeled tracer for imaging therapeutic targets in the brain is a valuable tool for lead optimization in CNS drug discovery and for dose selection in clinical development. We report the rapid identification of a novel phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) tracer candidate using a LC-MS/MS technology. This structurally distinct PDE10A tracer, AMG-7980 (5), has been shown to have good uptake in the striatum (1.2% ID/g tissue), high specificity (striatum/thalamus ratio of 10), and saturable binding in vivo. The PDE10A affinity (K(D)) and PDE10A target density (B(max)) were determined to be 0.94 nM and 2.3 pmol/mg protein, respectively, using [(3)H]5 on rat striatum homogenate. Autoradiography on rat brain sections indicated that the tracer signal was consistent with known PDE10A expression pattern. The specific binding of [(3)H]5 to rat brain was blocked by another structurally distinct, published PDE10A inhibitor, MP-10. Lastly, our tracer was used to measure in vivo PDE10A target occupancy of a PDE10A inhibitor in rats using LC-MS/MS technology.

Structure guided P1' modifications of HEA derived ß-secretase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The synthesis and SAR of a series of BACE-1 hydroxyethyl amine inhibitors containing substitutions on a spirocyclobutyl moiety is described. Selectivity against cathepsin D, a related aspartyl protease with potential off target toxicity, and improved microsomal stability is exemplified.

Design and preparation of a potent series of hydroxyethylamine containing ß-secretase inhibitors that demonstrate robust reduction of central ß-amyloid.

A series of potent hydroxyethyl amine (HEA) derived inhibitors of ß-site APP cleaving enzyme (BACE1) was optimized to address suboptimal pharmacokinetics and poor CNS partitioning. This work identified a series of benzodioxolane analogues that possessed improved metabolic stability and increased oral bioavailability. Subsequent efforts focused on improving CNS exposure by limiting susceptibility to Pgp-mediated efflux and identified an inhibitor which demonstrated robust and sustained reduction of CNS ß-amyloid (Aß) in Sprague-Dawley rats following oral administration.

Design and synthesis of potent, orally efficacious hydroxyethylamine derived ß-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE1) inhibitors.

We have previously shown that hydroxyethylamines can be potent inhibitors of the BACE1 enzyme and that the generation of BACE1 inhibitors with CYP 3A4 inhibitory activities in this scaffold affords compounds (e.g., 1) with sufficient bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profiles to reduce central amyloid-ß peptide (Aß) levels in wild-type rats following oral dosing. In this article, we describe further modifications of the P1-phenyl ring of the hydroxyethylamine series to afford potent, dual BACE1/CYP 3A4 inhibitors which demonstrate improved penetration into the CNS. Several of these compounds caused robust reduction of Aß levels in rat CSF and brain following oral dosing, and compound 37 exhibited an improved cardiovascular safety profile relative to 1.

Discovery of potent, selective, and metabolically stable 4-(pyridin-3-yl)cinnolines as novel phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors.

We report the discovery of 6,7-dimethoxy-4-(pyridin-3-yl)cinnolines as novel inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A). Systematic examination and analyses of structure-activity-relationships resulted in single digit nM potency against PDE10A. X-ray co-crystal structure revealed the mode of binding in the enzyme's catalytic domain and the source of selectivity against other PDEs. High in vivo clearance in rats was addressed with the help of metabolite identification (ID) studies. These findings combined resulted in compound 39, a promising potent inhibitor of PDE10A with good in vivo metabolic stability in rats and efficacy in a rodent behavioral model.

From fragment screening to in vivo efficacy: optimization of a series of 2-aminoquinolines as potent inhibitors of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1).

Using fragment-based screening of a focused fragment library, 2-aminoquinoline 1 was identified as an initial hit for BACE1. Further SAR development was supported by X-ray structures of BACE1 cocrystallized with various ligands and molecular modeling studies to expedite the discovery of potent compounds. These strategies enabled us to integrate the C-3 side chain on 2-aminoquinoline 1 extending deep into the P2' binding pocket of BACE1 and enhancing the ligand's potency. We were able to improve the BACE1 potency to subnanomolar range, over 10(6)-fold more potent than the initial hit (900 µM). Further elaboration of the physical properties of the lead compounds to those more consistent with good blood-brain barrier permeability led to inhibitors with greatly improved cellular activity and permeability. Compound 59 showed an IC(50) value of 11 nM on BACE1 and cellular activity of 80 nM. This compound was advanced into rat pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies and demonstrated significant reduction of Aß levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Nonspecificity of binding of gamma-secretase modulators to the amyloid precursor protein.

Evidence that certain gamma-secretase modulators (GSMs) target the 99-residue C-terminal domain (C99) of the amyloid precursor protein, a substrate of gamma-secretase, but not the protease complex itself has been presented [Kukar, T. L., et al. (2008) Nature 453, 925-929]. Here, NMR results demonstrate a lack of specific binding of these GSMs to monodisperse C99 in LMPG micelles. In addition, results indicate that C99 was likely to have been aggregated in some of the key experiments of the previous work and that binding of GSMs to these C99 aggregates is also of a nonspecific nature.

Discovery of alpha-amidosulfones as potent and selective agonists of CB2: synthesis, SAR, and pharmacokinetic properties.

A series of alpha-amidosulfones were found to be potent and selective agonists of CB(2). The discovery, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of this series of agonists are reported. In addition, the pharmacokinetic properties of the most promising compounds are profiled.

Discovery and optimization of a novel series of N-arylamide oxadiazoles as potent, highly selective and orally bioavailable cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonists.

The CB2 receptor is an attractive therapeutic target for analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents. Herein we describe the discovery of a novel class of oxadiazole derivatives from which potent and selective CB2 agonist leads were developed. Initial hit 7 was identified from a cannabinoid target-biased library generated by virtual screening of sample collections using a pharmacophore model in combination with a series of physicochemical filters. 7 was demonstrated to be a selective CB2 agonist (CB2 EC50 = 93 nM, Emax = 98%, CB1 EC50 > 10 microM). However, this compound exhibited poor solubility and relatively high clearance in rat, resulting in low oral bioavailability. In this paper, we report detailed SAR studies on 7 en route toward improving potency, physicochemical properties, and solubility. This effort resulted in identification of 63 that is a potent and selective agonist at CB2 (EC50 = 2 nM, Emax = 110%) with excellent pharmacokinetic properties.

Structural modifications of N-arylamide oxadiazoles: Identification of N-arylpiperidine oxadiazoles as potent and selective agonists of CB2.

Structural modifications to the central portion of the N-arylamide oxadiazole scaffold led to the identification of N-arylpiperidine oxadiazoles as conformationally constrained analogs that offered improved stability and comparable potency and selectivity. The simple, modular scaffold allowed for the use of expeditious and divergent synthetic routes, which provided two-directional SAR in parallel. Several potent and selective agonists from this novel ligand class are described.

Blood-brain barrier permeability considerations for CNS-targeted compound library design.

A further refinement of the concept of drug-likeness is required for compound libraries intended for central nervous system (CNS) targets to account for the limitations imposed by blood-brain barrier permeability. This review describes criteria and processes that can be applied in the de novo design and assembly of libraries to increase the odds of compounds residing within CNS-accessible chemical space. A number of published examples where CNS activity and/or penetration characteristics have been a factor in library design are discussed.

Targeting cannabinoid agonists for inflammatory and neuropathic pain.

The cannabinoid receptors CB(1) and CB(2) are class A G-protein-coupled receptors. It is well known that cannabinoid receptor agonists produce relief of pain in a variety of animal models by interacting with cannabinoid receptors. CB(1) receptors are located centrally and peripherally, whereas CB(2) receptors are expressed primarily on immune cells and tissues. A large body of preclinical data supports the hypothesis that either CB(2)-selective agonists or CB(1) agonists acting at peripheral sites, or with limited CNS exposure, will inhibit pain and neuroinflammation without side effects within the CNS. There has been a growing interest in developing cannabinoid agonists. Many new cannabinoid ligands have been synthesized and studied covering a wide variety of novel structural scaffolds. This review focuses on the present development of cannabinoid agonists with an emphasis on selective CB(2) agonists and peripherally restricted CB(1) or CB(1)/CB(2) dual agonists for treatment of inflammatory and neuropathic pain.