Quantitation and characterization of glucosylsphingosine in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and brain of monkey model with Gaucher disease.

Treatment with conduritol-ß-epoxide (CBE) in preclinical species is expected to be a powerful approach to generate animal models of Gaucher disease (GD) and Parkinson's disease associated with heterozygous mutations in Glucocerebrosidase (GBA-PD). However, it is not fully elucidated how quantitatively the change in glucosylsphingosine (GlcSph) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) correlates with that in the brain, which is expected to be clinically informative. Herein, we aimed to investigate the correlation with successfully quantified GlcSph in monkey CSF by developing highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. The GlcSph in normal monkey CSF was 0.635 ± 0.177 pg/mL at baseline and increased by CBE treatment at 3 mg/kg daily for five days up to a moderate level, comparable to that in GD patients. The balance between GlcSph and galactosylsphingosine (GalSph) in the CSF matched that in the brain rather than plasma. In addition, GlcSph in the CSF was increased, accompanied by that in the brain at a dose of 3 mg/kg daily. These results indicate that GlcSph in the CSF is worth evaluating for concentration changes in the brain. Thus, this model can be useful for evaluating GBA-related diseases such as GD and GBA-PD.

Quantitative Model Analysis and Simulation of Pharmacokinetics and Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma 1 RNA Knockdown Effect After Systemic Administration of Cholesterol-Conjugated DNA/RNA Heteroduplex Oligonucleotide Crossing Blood-Brain Barrier of Mice.

The cholesterol-conjugated heteroduplex oligonucleotide (Chol-HDO) is a double-stranded complex; it comprises an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and its complementary strand with a cholesterol ligand. Chol-HDO is a powerful tool for achieving target RNA knockdown in the brains of mice after systemic injection. Here, a quantitative model analysis was conducted to characterize the relationship between the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD), non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma 1 (Malat1) RNA, of Chol-HDO, in a time-dependent manner. The established PK model could describe regional differences in the observed brain concentration-time profiles. Incorporating the PD model enabled the unique knockdown profiles in the brain to be explained in terms of the time delay after single dosing and enhancement following repeated dosing. Moreover, sensitivity analysis of PK exposure/persistency, target RNA turnover, and knockdown potency identified key factors for the efficient and sustained target RNA knockdown in the brain. The simulation of an adequate dosing regimen quantitatively supported the benefit of Chol-HDO in terms of achieving a suitable dosing interval. This was achieved via sufficient and sustained brain exposure and subsequent strong and sustained target RNA knockdown in the brain, even after systemic injection. The present study provides new insights into drug discoveries and development strategies for HDO in patients with neurogenic disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The quantitative model analysis presented here characterized the PK/PD relationship of Chol-HDO, enabled its simulation under various conditions or assumptions, and identified key factors for efficient and sustained RNA knockdown, such as PK exposure and persistency. Chol-HDO appears to be an efficient drug delivery system for the systemic administration of desired drugs to brain targets.

Highly-sensitive simultaneous quantitation of glucosylsphingosine and galactosylsphingosine in human cerebrospinal fluid by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Mutations in the GBA gene, encoding glucocerebrosidase (GCase), are linked to Gaucher disease (GD) and are the most common risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). The glucosylsphingosine (GlcSph) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is used as a pharmacodynamic marker for GCase functionalizing therapy in GD patients. Its isobaric structural isomer, galactosylsphingosine (GalSph, psychosine), is also used as a diagnostic blood marker in Krabbe disease (KD) which is caused by a deficiency in ß-galactocerebrosidase (GALC). However, there are no reports of GlcSph quantification in the CSF of GBA-PD patients and normal healthy humans due to low concentrations. In this study, we successfully quantified GlcSph in healthy human CSF using a highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method with separation of GalSph. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 0.1 pg/mL. Additionally, GlcSph and GalSph concentrations in the plasma and brain were determined using different LC-MS/MS methods. The mean concentrations of GlcSph and GalSph in normal human CSF were 1.07 and 9.44 pg/mL, respectively. The GalSph level in the CSF and brain was higher than that of GlcSph, whereas plasma GalSph was lower than GlcSph. Because GCase and GALC are expressed in the brain and the peripheral tissues, GlcSph and GalSph in CSF would be a good surrogate of concentration change in the brain by targeted therapies. This method measures normal levels of GlcSph and GalSph in healthy human CSF without accumulation of sphingolipids, and confirms whether abnormal CSF concentrations can be reduced to normal levels by therapy.

Utility of Göttingen minipigs for the prediction of human pharmacokinetic profiles after intravenous drug administration.

Göttingen minipigs are increasingly used to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of drug candidates. However, their accuracy in predicting human PK parameters is unclear. In this study, we investigated the utility of Göttingen minipigs for predicting human PK profiles. We evaluated the PK parameters of 30 compounds with diverse metabolic pathways after intravenous administration in minipigs. Human total clearance (CLtotal) was corrected using the blood to plasma ratio, and the volume of distribution at steady state (Vd(ss)) was corrected with plasma unbound fraction (fup). CLtotal and Vd(ss) were predicted using single-species allometric scaling using data from minipigs and other reported animal models (monkeys, human liver chimeric mice, and rats). The predicted values were compared with actual values reported in humans. Göttingen minipig were superior to rats because of their better predictability of Vd(ss) and CLtotal, as represented by lower absolute average fold error values. However, their predictability for Vd(ss) was inferior to monkey and human liver chimeric mice. Prediction of CLtotal from blood-based minipig data showed excellent correlation with human data, and comparable predictability with monkey and human liver chimeric mice. Thus, Göttingen minipigs can be used as an optional model for preclinical pharmaceutical research for predicting human CLtotal.

Highly specific, quantitative polymerase chain reaction probe for the quantification of human cells in cynomolgus monkeys.

Quantification of human cells may be performed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In preclinical studies, the human Alu sequence is widely used as biomarker for human DNA. However, because the Alu gene is shared by primates, its use is limited to non-primate studies. The biodistribution of human cells in primates is also necessary for translational studies. Therefore, we aimed to design a novel, human-specific primer/probe that enables the quantification of human cells in primates and other animal models. A novel primer/probe set was successfully designed based on highly repetitive LINE1 sequences. qPCR efficiency (94.95-99.21%) and linearity of calibration curves (r2 = 0.996-0.999) were confirmed in tissue homogenates of cynomolgus monkey. The lower limit of detection was 10 cells per 15-mg tissue sample, a sensitivity that is equivalent to existing Alu primers/probes. The set was also effective in other animal models such as mice, rabbits, pigs, and common marmosets. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the successful design of a human-specific qPCR primer/probe for human cell quantification in various animals, including non-human primates, using LINE1 sequence. The excellent selectivity, sensitivity, and versatility of the LINE1 primers/probes make it a promising quantification tool in preclinical biodistribution studies.

Quantitative PCR methodology with a volume-based unit for the sophisticated cellular kinetic evaluation of chimeric antigen receptor T cells.

Although the cellular kinetics of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells are expressed in units of copies/µg gDNA, this notation carries the risk of misrepresentation owing to dramatic changes in blood gDNA levels after lymphocyte-depleting chemotherapy and rapid expansion of CAR T cells. Therefore, we aimed to establish a novel qPCR methodology incorporating a spike-in calibration curve that expresses cellular kinetics in units of copies/µL blood, as is the case for conventional pharmacokinetic studies of small molecules and other biologics. Dog gDNA was used as an external control gene. Our methodology enables more accurate evaluation of in vivo CAR T-cell expansion than the conventional approach; the unit "copies/µL blood" is therefore more appropriate for evaluating cellular kinetics than the unit "copies/µg gDNA." The results of the present study provide new insights into the relationship between cellular kinetics and treatment efficacy, thereby greatly benefiting patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy.

Quantitative application of flow cytometry for the analysis of circulating human T cells: A preclinical pharmacokinetic study.

As the application of flow cytometry to a quantitative pharmacokinetic study with adoptive T cell therapy is new, we aimed to investigate the quantitativity of flow cytometry-based analysis for the pharmacokinetic assessment of circulating human T cells in a preclinical study. We evaluated the selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of flow cytometry-based analysis for human CD8+ T cells in immunodeficient mouse blood. The CD3/8/45-positive cell population was successfully distinguished from the negative population. Linear regression analysis for the calibration curve showed good linearity and recovery was approximately 100%. Acceptable inter- and intra-day precision and accuracy were observed and the lower limit of quantification (30 cells/50 µL) was validated with acceptable precision and accuracy. Blood concentrations of human CD8+ T cells in immunodeficient mice were then evaluated after administration using this method and the time-concentration profile of human T cells in mice was successfully assessed. The present study is the first to clarify the quantitativity of flow cytometry-based analysis for circulating human T cells in animals. The concept of the present study would be applicable to quantitative pharmacokinetics/efficacy or safety analysis of adoptive T cell therapy.

Development of a bioanalytical method for circulating human T cells in animals using Arthrobacter luteus-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction and its application in preclinical biodistribution studies.

INTRODUCTION: In the development of cell therapy products for human use, studies on the biodistribution of transplanted cells in animals are important for assessing the safety and efficacy of these products. Although a few reports have described the biodistribution of human cells in animals using Arthrobacter luteus-based-polymerase chain reaction (Alu-PCR), most have used genomic DNA or synthetic oligonucleotide as calibrators, as opposed to actual cells. In addition, bioanalytical variability in the quantification of cells with respect to specificity, selectivity, accuracy, and precision, has not been evaluated. Accordingly, in this study, we validated the utility of this bioanalytical method for human T cells in mice to establish assay performance using cells as a calibrator. METHODS: A standard curve was constructed for the addition of cell lysates to mouse tissues and blood, and DNA was extracted. Alu-PCR was applied for the quantification of human peripheral blood CD8+ T cells in mice. To determine assay performance, we evaluated accuracy, precision, selectivity, specificity, and stability. In vivo cell kinetics and biodistribution were investigated based on intravenous administration of human T cells to mice. RESULTS: Alu-PCR enabled us to specifically detect human T cells in mouse blood and tissues. The lower detection limit of Alu-PCR was 10 cells/15 mg tissue (7.5 mg for spleen and lung) or cells/50 µL blood. Given that PCR threshold cycle (Cq) values among mouse samples (blood, liver spleen, lung, heart, and kidney) show slight variation, calibration curves should be generated using the same tissue as used for the assay. Most coefficients of variation in the assay were within 30%. The cell kinetics of administered human T cells in mice were successfully evaluated using the established Alu-qPCR. CONCLUSIONS: The Alu-PCR technique developed in this study showed sufficient specificity and sensitivity in detecting human peripheral blood CD8+ T cells in mice. This technique, which targets the primate-specific Alu gene, is applicable for quantifying transplanted human cells in animals without the necessity of cell labeling. The data presented herein will be useful for standardizing bioanalytical approaches in biodistribution studies of cell therapy products.

A new class of pentapeptide KISS1 receptor agonists with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activation.

The kisspeptin (Kp, Kp-54, metastin)/KISS1R system plays crucial roles in regulating the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Continuous administration of nonapeptide Kp analogs caused plasma testosterone depletion, whereas bolus administration caused strong plasma testosterone elevation in male rats. To develop a new class of small peptide drugs, we focused on stepwise N-terminal truncation of Kp analogs and discovered potent pentapeptide analogs. Benzoyl-Phe-azaGly-Leu-Arg(Me)-Trp-NH2 (16) exhibited high agonist activity for KISS1R and excellent metabolic stability in rat serum. A single injection of a 4-pyridyl analog (19) at the N-terminus of 16 into male Sprague Dawley rats caused a robust increase in plasma luteinizing hormone levels, but unlike continuous administration of nonapeptide Kp analogs, continuous administration of 19 maintained moderate testosterone levels in rats. These results indicated that small peptide drugs can be successfully developed for treating sex hormone deficiency.

A quantitative LC/MSMS method for determination of edoxaban, a Xa inhibitor and its pharmacokinetic application in patients after total knee arthroplasty.

Edoxaban was extracted from human plasma by simple protein precipitation with acetonitrile, followed by quantitative determination using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The recoveries of edoxaban and the internal standard (ticlopidine) from human plasma were >85%, and the within- and between-day coefficients of variation were within 15%. The limit of quantification in human plasma was 1 ng/mL. The concentration of edoxaban in blood decreased at room temperature, but remained unchanged for 1 week at 4°C. On the other hand, the concentration in plasma at both -20 and -80°C remained unchanged for 5 months. These results indicated that blood samples should be centrifuged immediately or stored at 4°C, and that plasma samples should be stored below -20°C until analysis. This method was applied to human plasma obtained from four patients after total knee arthroplasty. Analysis of edoxaban pharmacokinetics demonstrated an absorption time lag of 4h, a maximum concentration of 110 ± 26 ng/mL and an oral clearance of 37 ± 16 L/h. The analytical methods established in this study will be suitable for determining the concentrations of edoxaban in human plasma.

Design and synthesis of a novel series of orally active, selective somatostatin receptor 2 agonists for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The discovery of a novel series of ß-methyltryptophan (ß MeTrp) derivatives as selective and orally active non-peptide somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) agonists for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes is described. In our previous research, Compound A, ß-MeTrp derivative with highly potent and selective SSTR2 agonistic activity IC50 (SSTR2/SSTR5)=0.3/>100 (nM), was identified asa drug candidate for treatment of Type 2 diabetes which lowers significantly plasma glucose level in Wistar fatty rats in its oral administrations. However, as serious increase in AUC and phospholipidosis (PLsis) were observed in its toxicological studies in rats, follow-up compounds were searched to avoid risk of PLsis with reference to their in vitro PLsis potentials evaluated on the basis of accumulation of phospholipids in HepG2 cells exposed to the compounds. It has been found that introduction of a carbonyl group onto the piperidine and piperazine or aniline moiety of compounds A and B reduced markedly the in vitro PLsis potentials. And further modification of the compounds and their evaluation led to a discovery of compounds 3k with lower in vitro PLsis potentials exhibiting lowering effect of hypoglycemia-induced glucagon secretion in SD rats (ED50=1.1mg/kg) and glucose excursion in meal tolerance test in Wistar fatty diabetic rats (MED=3.0mg/kg) in oral administrations. Compound 3k was selected asa new drug candidate of selective and orally active non-peptide SSTR2 agonists for treatment of Type 2 diabetes with low in vivo PLsis potential.

Identification of cytidine-5-triphosphate synthase1-selective inhibitory peptide from random peptide library displayed on T7 phage.

Cytidine triphosphate synthase 1 (CTPS1) is an enzyme expressed in activated lymphocytes that catalyzes the conversion of uridine triphosphate (UTP) to cytidine triphosphate (CTP) with ATP-dependent amination, using either L-glutamine or ammonia as the nitrogen source. Since CTP plays an important role in DNA/RNA synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein sialyation, CTPS1-inhibition is expected to control lymphocyte proliferation and size expansion in inflammatory diseases. In contrast, CTPS2, an isozyme of CTPS1 possessing 74% amino acid sequence homology, is expressed in normal lymphocytes. Thus, CTPS1-selective inhibition is important to avoid undesirable side effects. Here, we report the discovery of CTpep-3: Ac-FRLGLLKAFRRLF-OH from random peptide libraries displayed on T7 phage, which exhibited CTPS1-selective binding with a KD value of 210nM in SPR analysis and CTPS1-selective inhibition with an IC50 value of 110nM in the enzyme assay. Furthermore, two fundamentally different approaches, enzyme inhibition assay and HDX-MS, provided the same conclusion that CTpep-3 acts by binding to the amidoligase (ALase) domain on CTPS1. To our knowledge, CTpep-3 is the first CTPS1-selective inhibitor.

Discovery and characterization of selective human sphingomyelin synthase 2 inhibitors.

Sphingomyelin synthase (SMS) is a membrane enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of sphingomyelin, is required for the maintenance of plasma membrane microdomain fluidity, and has two isoforms: SMS1 and SMS2. Although these isoforms exhibit the same SMS activity, they are different enzymes with distinguishable subcellular localizations. It was reported that SMS2 KO mice displayed lower inflammatory responses and anti-atherosclerotic effects, suggesting that inhibition of SMS2 would be a potential therapeutic approach for controlling inflammatory responses and atherosclerosis. This study aimed to discover a novel small-molecule compound that selectively inhibits SMS2 enzymatic activity. We developed a human SMS2 enzyme assay with a high-throughput mass spectrometry-based screening system. We characterized the enzymatic properties of SMS2 and established a high-throughput screening-compatible assay condition. To identify human SMS2 inhibitors, we conducted compound screening using the enzyme assay. We identified a 2-quinolone derivative as a SMS2 selective inhibitor with an IC50 of 950 nM and >100-fold selectivity for SMS2 over SMS1. The 2-quinolone exhibited efficacy in a cell-based engagement assay. We demonstrated that a more potent derivative directly bound to SMS2-expressing membrane fractions in an affinity selection mass spectrometry assay. Mutational analyses revealed that the interaction of the inhibitor with SMS2 required the presence of the amino acids S227 and H229, which are located in the catalytic domain of SMS2. In conclusion, we discovered novel SMS2-selective inhibitors. 2-Quinolone SMS2 inhibitors are considered applicable for leading optimization studies. Further investigations using these SMS2 inhibitors would provide validation tools for SMS2-relevant pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Identification of AHCY inhibitors using novel high-throughput mass spectrometry.

S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (AHCY) catalyzes the reversible hydrolysis of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) to adenosine and l-homocysteine. This enzyme is frequently overexpressed in many tumor types and is considered to be a validated anti-tumor target. In order to enable the development of small molecule AHCY inhibitors as targeted cancer therapeutics we developed an assay based on a RapidFire high-throughput mass spectrometry detection system, which allows the direct measurement of AHCY enzymatic activity. This technique avoids many of the problems associate with the previously reported method of using a thiol-reactive fluorescence probes to measure AHCY activity. Screening of a ∼500,000 compound library using this technique identified multiple SAH competitive hits. Co-crystal structures of the hit compounds complexed with AHCY were obtained showing that the compounds indeed bind in the SAH site of the enzyme. In addition, some hit compounds increased the SAH levels in HCT116 cells and showed growth inhibition. These compounds could be promising starting points for the optimization of cancer treatments.

Nanophase-separated Ni3Nb as an automobile exhaust catalyst.

Catalytic remediation of automobile exhaust has relied on precious metals (PMs) including platinum (Pt). Herein, we report that an intermetallic phase of Ni and niobium (Nb) (i.e., Ni3Nb) exhibits a significantly higher activity than that of Pt for the remediation of the most toxic gas in exhaust (i.e., nitrogen monoxide (NO)) in the presence of carbon monoxide (CO). When subjected to the exhaust-remediation atmosphere, Ni3Nb spontaneously evolves into a catalytically active nanophase-separated structure consisting of filamentous Ni networks (thickness < 10 nm) that are incorporated in a niobium oxide matrix (i.e., NbO x (x < 5/2)). The exposure of the filamentous Ni promotes NO dissociation, CO oxidation and N2 generation, and the NbO x matrix absorbs excessive nitrogen adatoms to retain the active Ni0 sites at the metal/oxide interface. Furthermore, the NbO x matrix immobilizes the filamentous Ni at elevated temperatures to produce long-term and stable catalytic performance over hundreds of hours.

High-Throughput Screening to Identify Inhibitors of DEAD Box Helicase DDX41.

The human DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box protein DDX41, a member of the DEXDc helicase family, has nucleic acid-dependent ATPase and RNA and DNA translocase and unwinding activities. DDX41 is affected by somatic mutations in sporadic cases of myeloid neoplasms as well as in a biallelic fashion in 50% of patients with germline DDX41 mutations. The R525H mutation in DDX41 is thought to play important roles in the development of hereditary myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelocytic leukemia. In this study, human DDX41 and its R525H mutant (R525H) were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The ATPase activities of the recombinant DDX41 and R525H proteins were dependent on both ATP and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), such as poly(dG-dC) and poly(dA-dT). High-throughput screening was performed with a dsDNA-dependent ATPase assay using the human R525H proteins. After hit confirmation and counterscreening, several small-molecule inhibitors were successfully identified. These compounds show DDX41-selective inhibitory activities.

Identification of PARP14 inhibitors using novel methods for detecting auto-ribosylation.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) use nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a co-substrate to transfer ADP-ribose when it releases nicotinamide as the metabolized product. Enzymes of the PARP family play key roles in detecting and repairing DNA, modifying chromatin, regulating transcription, controlling energy metabolism, and inducing cell death. PARP14, the original member of the PARP family, has been reported to be associated with the development of inflammatory diseases and various cancer types, making it a potential therapeutic target. In this study, we purified the macrodomain-containing PARP14 enzyme and established an assay for detecting the auto-ribosylation activity of PARP14 using RapidFire high-throughput mass spectrometry and immunoradiometric assay using [3H]NAD+. Subsequently, we performed high-throughput screening using the assays and identified small-molecule hit compounds, which showed NAD+-competitive and PARP14-selective inhibitory activities. Co-crystal structures of PARP14 with certain hit compounds revealed that the inhibitors bind to the NAD+-binding site. Finally, we confirmed that the hit compounds interacted with intracellular PARP14 by a cell-based protein stabilization assay. Thus, we successfully identified primary candidate compounds for further investigation.

Discovery of GPX4 inhibitory peptides from random peptide T7 phage display and subsequent structural analysis.

The phospholipid hydroperoxidase glutathione peroxidase (GPX4) is an enzyme that reduces lipid hydroperoxides in lipid membranes. Recently, GPX4 has been investigated as a target molecule that induces iron-dependent cell death (ferroptosis) selectively in cancer cells that express mutant Ras. GPX4 inhibitors have the potential to become novel anti-cancer drugs. However, there are no druggable pockets for conventional small molecules on the molecular surface of GPX4. To generate GPX4 inhibitors, we examined the use of peptides as an alternative to small molecules. By screening peptide libraries displayed on T7 phages, and analyzing the X-ray crystal structures of the peptides, we successfully identified one peptide that binds to near Sec73 of catalytic site and two peptides that bind to another site on GPX4. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting GPX4 inhibitory peptides and their structural information.

Design and Synthesis of an Investigational Nonapeptide KISS1 Receptor (KISS1R) Agonist, Ac-d-Tyr-Hydroxyproline (Hyp)-Asn-Thr-Phe-azaGly-Leu-Arg(Me)-Trp-NH2 (TAK-448), with Highly Potent Testosterone-Suppressive Activity and Excellent Water Solubility.

Metastin/kisspeptin is an endogenous ligand of KISS1 Receptor (KISS1R). Metastin and KISS1R are suggested to play crucial roles in regulating the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and continuous administration of metastin derivatives attenuated the plasma testosterone levels in male rats. Our optimization studies of metastin derivatives led to the discovery of 1 (Ac-d-Tyr-d-Trp-Asn-Thr-Phe-azaGly-Leu-Arg(Me)-Trp-NH2, TAK-683), which suppressed plasma testosterone in rats at lower doses than those of leuprolide. Although 1 possessed extremely potent pharmacological activity, 20 mg/mL aqueous solution of 1 has a gel formation property. In order to improve this physicochemical property, we substituted d-Trp at position 47 with a variety of amino acids; we identified that substitution with cyclic amino acids, which could change peptide conformation, retained its potency. Especially, analogue 24 (TAK-448) with trans-4-hydroxyproline (Hyp) at position 47 showed not only superior pharmacological activity to 1 but also excellent water solubility. Furthermore, 20 mg/mL aqueous solution of 24 did not show gel formation up to 5 days.