Discovery and structure-activity relationships of pentanedioic acid diamides as potent inhibitors of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I.

Benzylamides of pentanedioic acid were identified as inhibitors of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) by high-throughput screening. Optimisation to 2-adamantyl amides yielded inhibitors with single digit nanomolar IC(50)s on the 11beta-HSD1 human isoform. The hydroxy adamantyl amide lead compound was selective against 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (selectivity ratio >1000) and displayed good inhibition of 11beta-HSD1 (IC(50)<0.1microM) in a cellular model (3T3L1 adipocytes).