ONO-8430506: A Novel Autotaxin Inhibitor That Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Paclitaxel in a Breast Cancer Model.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid mediator that elicits a number of biological functions, including smooth muscle contraction, cell motility, proliferation, and morphological change. LPA is endogenously produced by autotaxin (ATX) from extracellular lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in plasma. Herein, we report our medicinal chemistry effort to identify a novel and highly potent ATX inhibitor, ONO-8430506 (20), with good oral availability. To enhance the enzymatic ATX inhibitory activity, we designed several compounds by structurally comparing our hit compound with the endogenous ligand LPC. Further optimization to improve the pharmacokinetic profile and enhance the ATX inhibitory activity in human plasma resulted in the identification of ONO-8430506 (20), which enhanced the antitumor effect of paclitaxel in a breast cancer model.

Comparison of simultaneous and separate processes: saccharification and thermophilic L-lactate fermentation of catch crop and aquatic plant biomass.

Catch crop candidates (corn, guinea grass) for recovering nutrients from farm soil and aquatic plants (water caltrop, water hyacinth) were utilized to produce L-lactic acid. The efficiencies ofpre-treatment methods for enzymatic saccharification and L-lactate production of two fermentation processes, thermophilic simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), as well as separate saccharification and fermentation, were compared. Conditions were set at 55 degrees C and pH 5.5 for non-sterile fermentation. Alkaline/peroxide pre-treatment proved the most effective for saccharification in pre-treated corn, guinea grass, water caltrop and water hyacinth with glucose yields of 0.23, 0.20, 0.11 and 0.14 g/g-dry native biomass (24-hour incubation period), respectively. Examination of the two types of thermophilic L-lactate fermentation employed following alkaline/peroxide pre-treatment and saccharification demonstrated that the L-lactate yield obtained using SSF (0.15 g/g in the case of corn) was lower than that obtained using separate saccharification and fermentation (0.28 g/g in the case of corn). The lower yield obtained from SSF is likely to have resulted from the saccharification conditions used in the present study, as the possibility of cellulase deactivation during SSF by thermophilic L-lactate producing bacteria existed. A cellulase that retains high activity levels under non-sterile conditions and a L-lactate producer without cellulose hydrolysis activity would be required in order for SSF to serve as an effective method of L-lactate production.

Combination of non-natural D-amino acid derivatives and allophenylnorstatine-dimethylthioproline scaffold in HIV protease inhibitors have high efficacy in mutant HIV.

Several non-natural D-amino acid derivatives were introduced as P2/P3 residues in allophenylnorstatine-containing (Apns; (2S,3S)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid) HIV protease inhibitors. The synthetic analogues exhibited potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 protease enzyme and HIV-1 replication in MT-4 cells. Structure-activity relationships revealed that D-cysteine or serine derivatives contributed to highly potent anti-HIV activities. Interestingly, anti-HIV activity of all the D-amino acid-introduced inhibitors was remarkably enhanced in their anti-HIV activities against a Nelfinavir-resistant clone, which has a D30N mutation in the protease, over that of the wild-type strain. HIV inhibitory activity of several analogues was moderately affected by an inclusion of alpha1-acid glycoprotein in the test medium.

Synthesis and antiviral property of allophenylnorstatine-based HIV protease inhibitors incorporating D-cysteine derivatives as P2/P3 moieties.

We designed several HIV protease inhibitors with various d-cysteine derivatives as P(2)/P(3) moieties based on the structure of clinical drug candidate, KNI-764. Herein, we report their synthesis, HIV protease inhibitory activity, HIV IIIB cell inhibitory activity, cellular toxicity, and inhibitory activity against drug-resistant HIV strains. KNI-1931 showed distinct selectivity against HIV proteases and high potency against drug-resistant strains, surpassing those of Ritonavir and Nelfinavir.

Design and synthesis of an orally active matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor.

A series of 4-(4-phenoxy)benzoylamino-4-methoxymethyloxymethyl butyric acid hydroxamates, which were derived from l-glutamic acid, were synthesized and evaluated as matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Most of the compounds listed in exhibited strong inhibitory activity against MMP-2 and MMP-9, as well as even stronger inhibitory activity against MMP-3, but showed relatively weak inhibition of MMP-1. Structure-activity relationships are discussed.

Design and synthesis of novel metalloproteinase inhibitors.

A series of N-benzoyl 4-aminobutyric acid hydroxamate analogs were synthesized and evaluated as matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Synthetic work was focused on the chemical modification of the 4-aminobutyric acid part using easily available starting materials. As such, chemical modification was carried out using commercially available starting materials such as 4-aminobutyric acid, (+)- and (-)-malic acid, and D- and L-glutamic acid derivatives. Among the compounds tested, N-[4-(benzofuran-2-yl)benzoyl] 4-amino-4S-hydroxymethylbutyric acid hydroxamates derived from L-glutamic acid demonstrated more potent inhibitory activity against MMP-2 and MMP-9 compared with the corresponding 2S-hydroxy analogs or 3S-hydroxy analogs, respectively, which were derived from (-)-malic acid. Structure-activity relationship study is presented.

Discovery of a new chemical lead for a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor.

A series of N-benzoyl gamma-aminobutyric hydroxamic acids were synthesized and evaluated as matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. First, we focused on chemical modification of the N-benzoyl residue. Introduction of electron-rich para-substituents was effective to increase the inhibitory activity. Especially, some of the analogs with relatively more planar N-acyl residues, such as 10 and 11, demonstrated more potent activity. Second, chemical modification of the gamma-aminobutyric hydroxamic acid moiety was carried out to optimize the three-dimensional arrangement of the two pharmacophores (hydroxamic acid and N-acyl residues). Among the tested, the gamma-aminobutyric hydroxamic acid moiety was found to be the best spacer for connecting the above-mentioned two pharmacophores. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships are discussed.

Novel matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors: generation of lead compounds by the in silico fragment-based approach.

Generation of structurally new matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors was successfully carried out using an in silico technique. In order to identify the small fragment interacting with residues in the S1' pocket of MMP-1 through hydrogen bonds, we performed in silico screening using the LUDI program. As a result, acetyl-L-alanyl-(N-methyl)amide (Ac-L-Ala-NHMe) was selected to link with another fragment, hydroxamic acid that interacted with catalytic zinc. By this approach, the L-glutamic acid derivative 2b was discovered to be a new type of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor. Further transformation to reduce its peptidic nature and improve activity yielded nonpeptidic lead compounds as inhibitors of MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9.

Synthesis, further biological evaluation and pharmacodynamics of newly discovered inhibitors of TNF-alpha production.

(1S,2R)-2-Acylamino-1-methyl-2-phenylethyl phosphate derivatives 2a, 2b, 3a, and 5a, which are conformationally restricted and metabolically stable analogues of (2R)-2-acylamino-2-phenylethyl phosphate derivatives 1a and 1b, are a new class of inhibitors of TNF-alpha production. More efficient alternative synthesis of a key intermediate, (1R,2S)-1-amino-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)propan-2-ol hydrochloride (9), was achieved using one-step, three-component coupling of 3-methoxyphenyl boronic acid (13), (5S)-2,2,5-trimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-ol (14), and amino diphenyl methane (15), [as reported in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 11798]. Evaluation of the hypotensive activity of these compounds was done to assess one of their side effects. Among the compounds tested, the above-mentioned four compounds (2a, 2b, 3a, and 5a) were identified as inhibitors with both sufficient potency and an acceptable safety margin regarding their hypotensive activity. The pharmacodynamics of these compounds were also investigated. Single-dose pharmacokinetic data for compounds 2a, 2b, 3a, and 5a are displayed. These compounds were estimated to be mainly metabolized by the liver in the species tested based on their in vitro stability in tissue homogenates and plasma. A representative compound, 2a, showed good linearity of its plasma concentration after intravenous injection.

Highly potent inhibitors of TNF-alpha production. Part I: discovery of new chemical leads and their structure-activity relationships.

Discovery of new chemical leads of inhibitors for TNF-alpha production starting from the chemical modification of 1 is reported. Further biological studies of 1 to disclose the site of its action strongly suggested that 1 inhibits LPS-induced TNF-alpha expression in the liver and spleen of mice. Structure-activity relationships (SARs) are also discussed and full details including the chemistry are reported.

Highly potent inhibitors of TNF-alpha production. Part 1: Discovery of chemical leads.

The discovery of 2-acylamino-2-phenylethyl disodium phosphates and as structurally novel inhibitors of TNF-alpha production is reported. Structure-activity relationships (SARs) are also discussed.