RESUMO
Combination studies of neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonists and serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have shown promise in preclinical models of depression. Such a combination may offer important advantages over the current standard of care. Herein we describe the discovery and optimization of an indazole-based chemotype to provide a series of potent dual NK1 receptor antagonists/serotonin transporter (SERT) inhibitors to overcome issues of ion channel blockade. This effort culminated in the identification of compound 9, an analogue that demonstrated favorable oral bioavailability, excellent brain uptake, and robust in vivo efficacy in a validated depression model. Over the course of this work, a novel heterocycle-directed asymmetric hydrogenation was developed to facilitate installation of the key stereogenic center.
Assuntos
Antidepressivos/farmacologia , Indazóis/farmacologia , Antagonistas dos Receptores de Neurocinina-1/farmacologia , Inibidores Seletivos de Recaptação de Serotonina/farmacologia , Administração Oral , Animais , Antidepressivos/síntese química , Antidepressivos/química , Antidepressivos/toxicidade , Transtorno Depressivo/tratamento farmacológico , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Descoberta de Drogas , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos , Gerbillinae , Humanos , Indazóis/síntese química , Indazóis/química , Indazóis/toxicidade , Camundongos , Estrutura Molecular , Antagonistas dos Receptores de Neurocinina-1/síntese química , Antagonistas dos Receptores de Neurocinina-1/química , Antagonistas dos Receptores de Neurocinina-1/toxicidade , Ratos , Receptores da Neurocinina-1/metabolismo , Proteínas da Membrana Plasmática de Transporte de Serotonina/metabolismo , Inibidores Seletivos de Recaptação de Serotonina/síntese química , Inibidores Seletivos de Recaptação de Serotonina/química , Inibidores Seletivos de Recaptação de Serotonina/toxicidade , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Regulador Transcricional ERG/metabolismoRESUMO
In search for prodrugs to address the issue of pH-dependent solubility and exposure associated with 1 (BMS-582949), a previously disclosed phase II clinical p38α MAP kinase inhibitor, a structurally novel clinical prodrug, 2 (BMS-751324), featuring a carbamoylmethylene linked promoiety containing hydroxyphenyl acetic acid (HPA) derived ester and phosphate functionalities, was identified. Prodrug 2 was not only stable but also water-soluble under both acidic and neutral conditions. It was effectively bioconverted into parent drug 1 in vivo by alkaline phosphatase and esterase in a stepwise manner, providing higher exposure of 1 compared to its direct administration, especially within higher dose ranges. In a rat LPS-induced TNFα pharmacodynamic model and a rat adjuvant arthritis model, 2 demonstrated similar efficacy to 1. Most importantly, it was shown in clinical studies that prodrug 2 was indeed effective in addressing the pH-dependent absorption issue associated with 1.