Fused 3-Hydroxy-3-trifluoromethylpyrazoles Inhibit Mutant Huntingtin Toxicity.

Here, we describe the selection and optimization of a chemical series active in both a full-length and a fragment-based Huntington's disease (HD) assay. Twenty-four thousand small molecules were screened in a phenotypic HD assay, identifying a series of compounds bearing a 3-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethylpyrazole moiety as able to revert the toxicity induced by full-length mutant Htt by up to 50%. A chemical exploration around the series led to the identification of compound 4f, which demonstrated to be active in a Htt171-82Q rat primary striatal neuron assay and a PC12-Exon-1 based assay. This compound was selected for testing in R6/2 mice, in which it was well-tolerated and showed a positive effect on body weight and a positive trend in preventing ventricular volume enlargment. These studies provide strong rationale for further testing the potential benefits of 3-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethylpyrazoles in treating HD.

N-[5-(5-fluoropyridin-3-yl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-4-piperidin-1-ylbutyramide (SEN78702, WYE-308775): a medicinal chemistry effort toward an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist preclinical candidate.

α7 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChR) represent promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia. A medicinal chemistry effort around previously reported compound 1 (SEN15924, WAY-361789) led to the identification of 12 (SEN78702, WYE-308775) a potent and selective full agonist of the α7 nAChR that demonstrated improved plasma stability, brain levels, and efficacy in behavioral cognition models.

Discovery of a novel alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist series and characterization of the potent, selective, and orally efficacious agonist 5-(4-acetyl[1,4]diazepan-1-yl)pentanoic acid [5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl] amide (SEN15924, WAY-361789).

Alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChR) are implicated in the modulation of many cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and episodic memory. For this reason, α7 nAChR agonists represent promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia. A medicinal chemistry effort, around our previously reported chemical series, permitted the discovery of a novel class of α7 nAChR agonists with improved selectivity, in particular against the α3 receptor subtype and better ADME profile. The exploration of this series led to the identification of 5-(4-acetyl[1,4]diazepan-1-yl)pentanoic acid [5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl] amide (25, SEN15924, WAY-361789), a novel, full agonist of the α7 nAChR that was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Compound 25 proved to be potent and selective, and it demonstrated a fair pharmacokinetic profile accompanied by efficacy in rodent behavioral cognition models (novel object recognition and auditory sensory gating).

Novel alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists containing a urea moiety: identification and characterization of the potent, selective, and orally efficacious agonist 1-[6-(4-fluorophenyl)pyridin-3-yl]-3-(4-piperidin-1-ylbutyl) urea (SEN34625/WYE-103914).

Alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (alpha7 nAChR) agonists are promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of cognitive impairment. We report a series of novel, potent small molecule agonists (4-18) of the alpha7 nAChR deriving from our continuing efforts in the areas of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. One of the compounds of the series containing a urea moiety (16) was further shown to be a selective agonist of the alpha7 nAChR with excellent in vitro and in vivo profiles, brain penetration, and oral bioavailability and demonstrated in vivo efficacy in multiple behavioral cognition models. Structural modifications leading to the improved selectivity profile and the biological evaluation of this series of compounds are discussed.

SAR and biological evaluation of SEN12333/WAY-317538: Novel alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist.

Alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (alpha(7) nAChR) agonists are promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with a variety of disorders including Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Alpha 7 nAChRs are expressed in brain regions associated with cognitive function, regulate cholinergic neurotransmission and have been shown to be down regulated in both schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Herein we report a novel, potent small molecule agonist of the alpha 7 nAChR, SEN12333/WAY-317538. This compound is a selective agonist of the alpha(7) nAChR with excellent in vitro and in vivo profiles, excellent brain penetration and oral bioavailability, and demonstrates in vivo efficacy in multiple behavioural cognition models. The SAR and biological evaluation of this series of compounds are discussed.

Base promoted isomerization of aziridinyl ethers: a new access to alpha- and beta-amino acids.

Aziridinyl ethers are selectively and easily converted to either amino vinyl ethers or alkoxy allylamines by treatment with mixed metal bases (superbases).