Novel 6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-1,4,7,10a-tetraaza-cyclohepta[f]indene analogues as potent and selective 5-HT(2C) agonists for the treatment of metabolic disorders.

The discovery of a novel series of 5-HT(2C) agonists based on a tricyclic pyrazolopyrimidine scaffold is described. Compounds with good levels of in vitro potency and moderate to good levels of selectivity with respect to the 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(2B) receptors were identified. One of the analogues (7 g) was found to be efficacious in a sub-chronic weight loss model. A key limitation of the series of compounds was that they were found to be potent inhibitors of the hERG ion channel. Some compounds, bearing polar side chains were identified which showed a much reduced hERG liability however these compounds were sub-optimal in terms of their in vitro potency or selectivity.

TBAF-catalysed silver oxide-mediated cross-coupling of functional trimethysilylpyridines: access to arylpyridines and bihetaryl compounds.

The concomitant use of silver oxide and catalytic amount of TBAF allowed the efficient and chemoselective coupling of readily available 4-chloro- and 4-methyl-2-trimethyl-silyl-pyridines with heteroaromatic and aromatic halides. Based on control experiments, a mechanism involving the formation of a pyridylsilver intermediate and TBAF recycling is postulated.

A new class of 5-HT2B antagonists possesses favorable potency, selectivity, and rat pharmacokinetic properties.

We have been exploring the potential of 5-HT(2B) antagonists as a therapy for chronic heart failure. To assess the potential of this therapeutic approach, we sought compounds possessing the following attributes: (a) potent and selective antagonism of the 5-HT(2B) receptor, (b) low impact of serum proteins on potency, and (c) desirable pharmacokinetic properties. This Letter describes our investigation of a biphenyl benzimidazole class of compounds that resulted in 5-HT(2B) antagonists possessing the above attributes. Improving potency in a human serum albumin shift assay proved to be the most significant SAR discovery.

DNA gyrase (GyrB)/topoisomerase IV (ParE) inhibitors: synthesis and antibacterial activity.

The synthesis and antibacterial activities of three chemotypes of DNA supercoiling inhibitors based on imidazolo[1,2-a]pyridine and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine scaffolds that target the ATPase subunits of DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV (GyrB/ParE) is reported. The most potent scaffold was selected for optimization leading to a series with potent Gram-positive antibacterial activity and a low resistance frequency.

Minimisation of palladium content in Suzuki cross-coupling reactions.

A protocol for conducting Suzuki reactions in a plate format amenable to use in library synthesis of biaryl compounds has been developed. A key objective was to determine reaction conditions which give biaryl products containing <10 ppm of Pd for a wide variety of building blocks. A Design of Experiments (DoE) approach for the identification of an optimised set of reaction conditions was successfully applied. The utility of the protocol developed has been demonstrated by preparation of an array of 96 biaryl compounds in a parallel fashion.

BI 885578, a Novel IGF1R/INSR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor with Pharmacokinetic Properties That Dissociate Antitumor Efficacy and Perturbation of Glucose Homeostasis.

Inhibition of the IGF1R, INSRA, and INSRB receptor tyrosine kinases represents an attractive approach of pharmacologic intervention in cancer, owing to the roles of the IGF1R and INSRA in promoting cell proliferation and survival. However, the central role of the INSRB isoform in glucose homeostasis suggests that prolonged inhibition of this kinase could result in metabolic toxicity. We describe here the profile of the novel compound BI 885578, a potent and selective ATP-competitive IGF1R/INSR tyrosine kinase inhibitor distinguished by rapid intestinal absorption and a short in vivo half-life as a result of rapid metabolic clearance. BI 885578, administered daily per os, displayed an acceptable tolerability profile in mice at doses that significantly reduced the growth of xenografted human GEO and CL-14 colon carcinoma tumors. We found that treatment with BI 885578 is accompanied by increases in circulating glucose and insulin levels, which in turn leads to compensatory hyperphosphorylation of muscle INSRs and subsequent normalization of blood glucose within a few hours. In contrast, the normalization of IGF1R and INSR phosphorylation in GEO tumors occurs at a much slower rate. In accordance with this, BI 885578 led to a prolonged inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in GEO tumors. We propose that the remarkable therapeutic window observed for BI 885578 is achieved by virtue of the distinctive pharmacokinetic properties of the compound, capitalizing on the physiologic mechanisms of glucose homeostasis and differential levels of IGF1R and INSR expression in tumors and normal tissues.

Synthesis, SAR, and series evolution of novel oxadiazole-containing 5-lipoxygenase activating protein inhibitors: discovery of 2-[4-(3-{(r)-1-[4-(2-amino-pyrimidin-5-yl)-phenyl]-1-cyclopropyl-ethyl}-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-5-yl)-pyrazol-1-yl]-N,N-dimethyl-acetamide (BI 665915).

The synthesis, structure-activity relationship (SAR), and evolution of a novel series of oxadiazole-containing 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) inhibitors are described. The use of structure-guided drug design techniques provided compounds that demonstrated excellent FLAP binding potency (IC50 < 10 nM) and potent inhibition of LTB4 synthesis in human whole blood (IC50 < 100 nM). Optimization of binding and functional potencies, as well as physicochemical properties resulted in the identification of compound 69 (BI 665915) that demonstrated an excellent cross-species drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) profile and was predicted to have low human clearance. In addition, 69 was predicted to have a low risk for potential drug-drug interactions due to its cytochrome P450 3A4 profile. In a murine ex vivo whole blood study, 69 demonstrated a linear dose-exposure relationship and a dose-dependent inhibition of LTB4 production.

Application of statistical 'design of experiments' methods in drug discovery.

The use of 'design of experiments' (DoE) is a revolutionary approach to optimisation and screening of experimental parameters. Simple experimental designs and statistical tools for data analysis can provide much information about the system under investigation after only a few experiments. Such information can be key in decision-making for further experiments and can enable the development of robust and reliable protocols for chemical synthesis, analytical methods or biological assays. Coupling of design of experiments with modern high-throughput automation systems has the potential to maximise the capabilities of these systems and give increased productivity for many drug discovery applications.

Microwave-promoted organic synthesis using ionic liquids: a mini review.

Due to their extraordinary properties, such as the ionic composition, good thermal stability, low vapor pressure, and solution interactions, ionic liquids can be used as solvents, reagents, and heating aids in conjunction with microwave chemistry. Synthesis of diverse molecules can be improved with the use of the ionic liquids assisted microwave heating due to fast reaction times, simple reaction work-up, and catalyst recovery. This mini-review outlines this newly emerging field.

Use of a Design of Experiments approach for the optimisation of a microwave assisted Ugi reaction.

The utility of a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach for the rapid and efficient optimisation of a microwave assisted Ugi 3cc reaction of levulinic acid is demonstrated. DoE methods have also been applied to the assessment of the reaction scope for a range of amine and isonitrile substrates. The optimal procedure developed using this approach has enabled the preparation of lactam derivatives in moderate to excellent yields (17-90%) in a reaction time of only 30 min compared to the conventional methodology which required up to 48 h.

Microwave-assisted Mannich-type three-component reactions.

Mannich-type three-component reactions have been performed successfully using microwave heating in conjunction with the use of ionic liquids as heating agents. Good product yields and short reaction times have been achieved.

Rapid cyanation of aryl iodides in water using microwave promotion.

We show that using water in conjunction with microwave heating it is possible to prepare aryl nitriles from the corresponding aryl iodides rapidly and in high yield without the need for a palladium catalyst.