A direct fixation of CO2 for isotopic labelling of hydantoins using iodine-phosphine charge transfer complexes.

Herein, we report a method for the isotopic labelling of hydantoins directly from CO2 by means of trimethyl-λ5-phosphine diiodide mediated carbonyl insertion. The method is suitable for 13C-labelling of diverse substrates and was implementated for 11C-labelling in PET-imaging facilities for the synthesis of radiotracers. Isolated yields of 90% and radiochemical yields of 89% were achieved for hydantoin containing drug candidates in formulation within 30 min with high molar activity (>400 MBq nmol-1).

Influence of Lipophilicity on the Antibacterial Activity of Polymyxin Derivatives and on Their Ability to Act as Potentiators of Rifampicin.

Novel polymyxin derivatives are often classified either as having direct activity against Gram-negative pathogens or as compounds inactive in their own right, which through permeabilization of the outer membrane act as potentiators of other antibiotics. Here, we report the systematic investigation of the influence of lipophilicity on microbiological activity (including against strains with reduced susceptibility to polymyxins), potentiation of rifampicin, and in vitro toxicity within a series of next-generation polymyxin nonapeptides. We demonstrate that the lipophilicity at the N-terminus and amino acids 6 and 7 in the cyclic peptide core is interchangeable and that the activity, ability to potentiate, and cytotoxicity all appear to be primarily driven by overall lipophilicity. Our work also suggests that the characterization of a polymyxin molecule as either a direct acting compound or a potentiator is more of a continuum that is strongly influenced by lipophilicity rather than as a result of fundamentally different modes-of-action.

Design of Next Generation Polymyxins with Lower Toxicity: The Discovery of SPR206.

Polymyxins are an important class of antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections due to multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogens. However, their clinical utility is limited by nephrotoxicity. Here, we report a series of promising next generation polymyxin nonapeptides identified on the basis of our understanding of the relationship of structure with activity, cytotoxicity, and kidney compartment accumulation. We demonstrate that nonapeptides with an amine-containing N-terminal moiety of specific regio- and stereochemistry possess superior in vitro activity, together with lower cytotoxicity compared to polymyxin B. We further demonstrate that compounds with a ß-branched aminobutyrate N-terminus with an aryl substituent offer a promising combination of low cytotoxicity and kidney exposure, leading to low toxicity in the mouse. From this series, SPR206 has been selected as a development candidate.

Tricyclic azepine derivatives as selective brain penetrant 5-HT6 receptor antagonists.

Starting from a benzazepine sulfonamide 5-HT(6) receptor antagonist lead with limited brain penetration, application of a strategy of conformational constraint and reduction of hydrogen bond donor count led to a novel series of tricyclic derivatives with high 5-HT(6) receptor affinity and excellent brain:blood ratios.

Optimization of sphingosine-1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists: effects of acidic, basic, and zwitterionic chemotypes on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles.

The efficacy of the recently approved drug fingolimod (FTY720) in multiple sclerosis patients results from the action of its phosphate metabolite on sphingosine-1-phosphate S1P1 receptors, while a variety of side effects have been ascribed to its S1P3 receptor activity. Although S1P and phospho-fingolimod share the same structural elements of a zwitterionic headgroup and lipophilic tail, a variety of chemotypes have been found to show S1P1 receptor agonism. Here we describe a study of the tolerance of the S1P1 and S1P3 receptors toward bicyclic heterocycles of systematically varied shape and connectivity incorporating acidic, basic, or zwitterionic headgroups. We compare their physicochemical properties, their performance in in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic models, and their efficacy in peripheral lymphocyte lowering. The campaign resulted in the identification of several potent S1P1 receptor agonists with good selectivity vs S1P3 receptors, efficacy at <1 mg/kg oral doses, and developability properties suitable for progression into preclinical development.