Cancer Cell Line Inhibition by Osmotic Pump-administered Xylitol in a Syngeneic Mouse Model.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of continuous administration of xylitol (a commonly used dental prebiotic) via a subcutaneous osmotic minipump in a B16F10 syngeneic mouse model. Methods: The B16F10 syngeneic model consisted of 6-8-week-old C57BL/6 male mice subcutaneously injected with five × 105 B16F10 cells suspended in 100 µl PBS in the right flank. The mice were randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 was the treatment group with 10% xylitol-loaded pumps (n=10), while Group 2 was the control group with saline-loaded pumps (n=10). Alzet minipumps were implanted subcutaneously in the left flank of B16F10-injected mice once more than 50% of all mice developed palpable tumors. After pump implantation surgery, the mice were monitored daily and weighed 2-3x/week. Tumor sizes were measured with calipers 2-3x/week, and all mice were euthanized when their tumors became too large (20 mm on any axis or 2,000 mm3). The excised tumors were weighed and cut in half, with one half sent for histology and the other for metabolomic analysis. Results: The xylitol-treated group survived substantially longer than the control group. The tumor size was reduced by approximately 35% by volume. Histological sections of xylitol treat mice suggested reduced infiltration and angiogenesis, which is consistent with previous studies. The metabolomic analysis demonstrates that xylitol reduces the tumor production of histamine, NADP+, ATP, and glutathione from the tumor, thereby improving the host immune response with ROS reactive oxygen species. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that xylitol has potential as an adjunct to oncological treatment and is being further investigated in comparison to monoclonal antibody therapy (Opdualag).

An implantable device for wireless monitoring of diverse physio-behavioral characteristics in freely behaving small animals and interacting groups.

Comprehensive, continuous quantitative monitoring of intricately orchestrated physiological processes and behavioral states in living organisms can yield essential data for elucidating the function of neural circuits under healthy and diseased conditions, for defining the effects of potential drugs and treatments, and for tracking disease progression and recovery. Here, we report a wireless, battery-free implantable device and a set of associated algorithms that enable continuous, multiparametric physio-behavioral monitoring in freely behaving small animals and interacting groups. Through advanced analytics approaches applied to mechano-acoustic signals of diverse body processes, the device yields heart rate, respiratory rate, physical activity, temperature, and behavioral states. Demonstrations in pharmacological, locomotor, and acute and social stress tests and in optogenetic studies offer unique insights into the coordination of physio-behavioral characteristics associated with healthy and perturbed states. This technology has broad utility in neuroscience, physiology, behavior, and other areas that rely on studies of freely moving, small animal models.

Bioresorbable Multilayer Organic-Inorganic Films for Bioelectronic Systems.

Bioresorbable electronic devices as temporary biomedical implants represent an emerging class of technology relevant to a range of patient conditions currently addressed with technologies that require surgical explantation after a desired period of use. Obtaining reliable performance and favorable degradation behavior demands materials that can serve as biofluid barriers in encapsulating structures that avoid premature degradation of active electronic components. Here, this work presents a materials design that addresses this need, with properties in water impermeability, mechanical flexibility, and processability that are superior to alternatives. The approach uses multilayer assemblies of alternating films of polyanhydride and silicon oxynitride formed by spin-coating and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition , respectively. Experimental and theoretical studies investigate the effects of material composition and multilayer structure on water barrier performance, water distribution, and degradation behavior. Demonstrations with inductor-capacitor circuits, wireless power transfer systems, and wireless optoelectronic devices illustrate the performance of this materials system as a bioresorbable encapsulating structure.

A wireless and battery-less implant for multimodal closed-loop neuromodulation in small animals.

Fully implantable wireless systems for the recording and modulation of neural circuits that do not require physical tethers or batteries allow for studies that demand the use of unconstrained and freely behaving animals in isolation or in social groups. Moreover, feedback-control algorithms that can be executed within such devices without the need for remote computing eliminate virtual tethers and any associated latencies. Here we report a wireless and battery-less technology of this type, implanted subdermally along the back of freely moving small animals, for the autonomous recording of electroencephalograms, electromyograms and body temperature, and for closed-loop neuromodulation via optogenetics and pharmacology. The device incorporates a system-on-a-chip with Bluetooth Low Energy for data transmission and a compressed deep-learning module for autonomous operation, that offers neurorecording capabilities matching those of gold-standard wired systems. We also show the use of the implant in studies of sleep-wake regulation and for the programmable closed-loop pharmacological suppression of epileptic seizures via feedback from electroencephalography. The technology can support a broader range of applications in neuroscience and in biomedical research with small animals.

Wireless implantable optical probe for continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation in flaps and organ grafts.

Continuous, real-time monitoring of perfusion after microsurgical free tissue transfer or solid organ allotransplantation procedures can facilitate early diagnosis of and intervention for anastomotic thrombosis. Current technologies including Doppler systems, cutaneous O2-sensing probes, and fluorine magnetic resonance imaging methods are limited by their intermittent measurements, requirements for skilled personnel, indirect interfaces, and/or their tethered connections. This paper reports a wireless, miniaturized, minimally invasive near-infrared spectroscopic system designed for uninterrupted monitoring of local-tissue oxygenation. A bioresorbable barbed structure anchors the probe stably at implantation sites for a time period matched to the clinical need, with the ability for facile removal afterward. The probe connects to a skin-interfaced electronic module for wireless access to essential physiological parameters, including local tissue oxygenation, pulse oxygenation, and heart rate. In vitro tests and in vivo studies in porcine flap and kidney models demonstrate the ability of the system to continuously measure oxygenation with high accuracy and sensitivity.

Discovery of (R)-(3-fluoropyrrolidin-1-yl)(6-((5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy)quinolin-2-yl)methanone (ABBV-318) and analogs as small molecule Nav1.7/ Nav1.8 blockers for the treatment of pain.

The voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 is an attractive target for the treatment of pain based on the high level of target validation with genetic evidence linking Nav1.7 to pain in humans. Our effort to identify selective, CNS-penetrant Nav1.7 blockers with oral activity, improved selectivity, good drug-like properties, and safety led to the discovery of 2-substituted quinolines and quinolones as potent small molecule Nav1.7 blockers. The design of these molecules focused on maintaining potency at Nav1.7, improving selectivity over the hERG channel, and overcoming phospholipidosis observed with the initial leads. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies leading to the discovery of (R)-(3-fluoropyrrolidin-1-yl)(6-((5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy)quinolin-2-yl)methanone (ABBV-318) are described herein. ABBV-318 displayed robust in vivo efficacy in both inflammatory and neuropathic rodent models of pain. ABBV-318 also inhibited Nav1.8, another sodium channel isoform that is an active target for the development of new pain treatments.

Photocurable bioresorbable adhesives as functional interfaces between flexible bioelectronic devices and soft biological tissues.

Flexible electronic/optoelectronic systems that can intimately integrate onto the surfaces of vital organ systems have the potential to offer revolutionary diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities relevant to a wide spectrum of diseases and disorders. The critical interfaces between such technologies and living tissues must provide soft mechanical coupling and efficient optical/electrical/chemical exchange. Here, we introduce a functional adhesive bioelectronic-tissue interface material, in the forms of mechanically compliant, electrically conductive, and optically transparent encapsulating coatings, interfacial layers or supporting matrices. These materials strongly bond both to the surfaces of the devices and to those of different internal organs, with stable adhesion for several days to months, in chemistries that can be tailored to bioresorb at controlled rates. Experimental demonstrations in live animal models include device applications that range from battery-free optoelectronic systems for deep-brain optogenetics and subdermal phototherapy to wireless millimetre-scale pacemakers and flexible multielectrode epicardial arrays. These advances have immediate applicability across nearly all types of bioelectronic/optoelectronic system currently used in animal model studies, and they also have the potential for future treatment of life-threatening diseases and disorders in humans.

The NMDAR modulator NYX-2925 alleviates neuropathic pain via a Src-dependent mechanism in the mPFC.

Previous studies have shown that oral administration of the NMDAR modulator NYX-2925 alleviates pain in several animal models of neuropathic pain and this appears to be through mPFC, but not spinal, mediated mechanisms. While much is known about the impact of neuropathic pain on NMDAR-mediated signaling in the spinal cord, limited studies have focused on the brain. In the current study, we assess signaling changes associated with NMDAR-mediated plasticity in the mPFC and the impact of NYX-2925 administration on the normalization of these signaling changes. We found a decrease in activated Src levels in the mPFC of animals with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. While Src mediated activation of NMDARs was also decreased in CCI animals, the main NMDAR phosphorylation site of CAMKII was not affected. This is in opposition to what has been found in the spinal cord, where both Src and CAMKII activation are increased. Oral administration of NYX-2925 restored levels of activated Src and Src phosphorylation sites on GluN2A and GluN2B in the mPFC, with no effect on activated CAMKII levels. The analgesic effect of NYX-2925 appears dependent on this restoration of Src activation in the mPFC, as co-administering Src activation inhibitors prevented the NYX-2925 analgesic effect. Overall, these data suggest that NMDAR-mediated signaling plays a key role in neuropathic pain, albeit in different directions in the spinal cord vs. the mPFC. Furthermore, the analgesic effect of NYX-2925 appears to involve a restoration of NMDAR-mediated signaling in the mPFC.

Rat ultrasonic vocalizations as a measure of the emotional component of chronic pain.

In humans, chronic pain is often expressed as a spontaneous emotional response which can lead to fragmented sleep. Rat 50-kHz and 20-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations are well-established measures of positive and negative emotional states, respectively. The rat chronic constriction injury model was used to induce chronic pain, and ultrasonic vocalizations were measured in both the heterospecific rough-and-tumble play (i.e. tickling) test as well as during 24-hour home cage recordings. Rates of hedonic 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations during the non-stimulus periods of the tickling test, as well as the rewarding value of tickling, were reduced in chronic constriction injury rats compared to sham controls. In the 24-hour home cage recording study, chronic constriction injury animals showed a reduced amplitude in circadian activity, as well as reduced hedonic 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and increased evoked and spontaneous aversive 20-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations. These data demonstrate that rat ultrasonic vocalizations can be used to capture core symptoms of chronic pain and may be useful in the elucidation of the neuronal mechanisms that underlie the affective component of pain.

NYX-2925 Is a Novel N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Modulator that Induces Rapid and Long-Lasting Analgesia in Rat Models of Neuropathic Pain.

NYX-2925 [(2S,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-((R)-5-isobutyryl-1-oxo-2,5-diazaspiro[3.4]octan-2-yl)butanamide] is a novel N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor modulator that is currently being investigated in phase 2 clinical studies for the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Previous studies demonstrated that NYX-2925 is a member of a novel class of NMDA receptor-specific modulators that affect synaptic plasticity processes associated with learning and memory. Studies here examined NYX-2925 administration in rat peripheral chronic constriction nerve injury (CCI) and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mechanical hypersensitivity. Additionally, NYX-2925 was examined in formalin-induced persistent pain model and the tail flick test of acute nociception. Oral administration of NYX-2925 resulted in rapid and long-lasting analgesia in both of the neuropathic pain models and formalin-induced persistent pain, but was ineffective in the tail flick model. The analgesic effects of NYX-2925 were blocked by the systemic administration of NMDA receptor antagonist 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid. Microinjection of NYX-2925 into the medial prefrontal cortex of CCI rats resulted in analgesic effects similar to those observed following systemic administration, whereas intrathecal administration of NYX-2925 was ineffective. In CCI animals, NYX-2925 administration reversed deficits seen in a rat model of rough-and-tumble play. Thus, it appears that NYX-2925 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of neuropathic pain, and the data presented here support the idea that NYX-2925 may act centrally to ameliorate pain and modulate negative affective states associated with chronic neuropathic pain.

IGFBP2 Produces Rapid-Acting and Long-Lasting Effects in Rat Models of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder via a Novel Mechanism Associated with Structural Plasticity.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by deficits in the extinction of aversive memories. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is the only growth factor that has shown anxiolytic and antidepressant properties in human clinical trials. In animal studies, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) shows both IGF1-dependent and IGF1-independent pharmacological effects, and IGFBP2 expression is upregulated by rough-and-tumble play that induces resilience to stress. Methods: IGFBP2 was evaluated in Porsolt, contextual fear conditioning, and chronic unpredictable stress models of posttraumatic stress disorder. The dependence of IGFBP2 effects on IGF1- and AMPA-receptor activation was tested using selective receptor antagonists. Dendritic spine morphology was measured in the dentate gyrus and the medial prefrontal cortex 24 hours after in vivo dosing. Results: IGFBP2 was 100 times more potent than IGF1 in the Porsolt test. Unlike IGF1, effects of IGFBP2 were not blocked by the IGF1-receptor antagonist JB1, or by the AMPA-receptor antagonist 2,3-Dioxo-6-nitro-1,2,3,4 tetrahydrobenzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide (NBQX) in the Porsolt test. IGFBP2 (1 µg/kg) and IGF1 (100 µg/kg i.v.) each facilitated contextual fear extinction and consolidation. Using a chronic unpredictable stress paradigm, IGFBP2 reversed stress-induced effects in the Porsolt, novelty-induced hypophagia, sucrose preference, and ultrasonic vocalization assays. IGFBP2 also increased mature dendritic spine densities in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus 24 hours postdosing. Conclusions: These data suggest that IGFBP2 has therapeutic-like effects in multiple rat models of posttraumatic stress disorder via a novel IGF1 receptor-independent mechanism. These data also suggest that the long-lasting effects of IGFBP2 may be due to facilitation of structural plasticity at the dendritic spine level. IGFBP2 and mimetics may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Substituted Indazoles as Nav1.7 Blockers for the Treatment of Pain.

The genetic validation for the role of the Nav1.7 voltage-gated ion channel in pain signaling pathways makes it an appealing target for the potential development of new pain drugs. The utility of nonselective Nav blockers is often limited due to adverse cardiovascular and CNS side effects. We sought more selective Nav1.7 blockers with oral activity, improved selectivity, and good druglike properties. The work described herein focused on a series of 3- and 4-substituted indazoles. SAR studies of 3-substituted indazoles yielded analog 7 which demonstrated good in vitro and in vivo activity but poor rat pharmacokinetics. Optimization of 4-substituted indazoles yielded two compounds, 27 and 48, that exhibited good in vitro and in vivo activity with improved rat pharmacokinetic profiles. Both 27 and 48 demonstrated robust activity in the acute rat monoiodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis model of pain, and subchronic dosing of 48 showed a shift to a lower EC50 over 7 days.

Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Produces an Antidepressant-Like Effect and Elicits N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Independent Long-Term Potentiation of Synaptic Transmission in Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus.

BACKGROUND: Growth factors play an important role in regulating neurogenesis and synapse formation and may be involved in regulating the antidepressant response to conventional antidepressants. To date, Insulin-like growth factor I (IGFI) is the only growth factor that has shown antidepressant properties in human clinical trials. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. METHODS: The antidepressant-like effect of a single IV dose of IGFI was determined using a chronic unpredictable stress paradigm in the rat Porsolt, sucrose preference, novelty-induced hypophagia, and ultrasonic vocalization models. The dependence of the medial prefrontal cortex for these effects was determined by direct medial prefrontal cortex injection followed by Porsolt testing as well as IGFI receptor activation in the medial prefrontal cortex following an optimal IV antidepressant-like dose of IGFI. The effect of IGFI on synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength was assessed in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. The dependence of these effects on IGFI and AMPA receptor activation and protein synthesis were also determined. RESULTS: IGFI produced a rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressant-like effect in each of the depression models. These effects were blocked by IGFI and AMPA receptor antagonists, and medial prefrontal cortex was localized. IGFI robustly increased synaptic strength in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex and these effects were IGFI receptor and protein synthesis-dependent but N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor independent. IGFI also robustly facilitated hippocampal metaplasticity 24 hours postdosing. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the conclusion that the antidepressant-like effects of IGFI are mediated by a persistent, LTP-like enhancement of synaptic strength requiring both IGFIR activation and ongoing protein synthesis.

CCR2 chemokine receptor signaling mediates pain in experimental osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of chronic pain, but almost nothing is known about the mechanisms and molecules that mediate osteoarthritis-associated joint pain. Consequently, treatment options remain inadequate and joint replacement is often inevitable. Here, we use a surgical mouse model that captures the long-term progression of knee osteoarthritis to longitudinally assess pain-related behaviors and concomitant changes in the innervating dorsal root ganglia (DRG). We demonstrate that monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 (CCL2) and its high-affinity receptor, chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2), are central to the development of pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. After destabilization of the medial meniscus, mice developed early-onset secondary mechanical allodynia that was maintained for 16 wk. MCP-1 and CCR2 mRNA, protein, and signaling activity were temporarily up-regulated in the innervating DRG at 8 wk after surgery. This result correlated with the presentation of movement-provoked pain behaviors, which were maintained up to 16 wk. Mice that lack Ccr2 also developed mechanical allodynia, but this started to resolve from 8 wk onwards. Despite severe allodynia and structural knee joint damage equal to wild-type mice, Ccr2-null mice did not develop movement-provoked pain behaviors at 8 wk. In wild-type mice, macrophages infiltrated the DRG by 8 wk and this was maintained through 16 wk after surgery. In contrast, macrophage infiltration was not observed in Ccr2-null mice. These observations suggest a key role for the MCP-1/CCR2 pathway in establishing osteoarthritis pain.

Potentiation of temozolomide cytotoxicity by poly(ADP)ribose polymerase inhibitor ABT-888 requires a conversion of single-stranded DNA damages to double-stranded DNA breaks.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) senses DNA breaks and facilitates DNA repair via the polyADP-ribosylation of various DNA binding and repair proteins. We explored the mechanism of potentiation of temozolomide cytotoxicity by the PARP inhibitor ABT-888. We showed that cells treated with temozolomide need to be exposed to ABT-888 for at least 17 to 24 hours to achieve maximal cytotoxicity. The extent of cytotoxicity correlates with the level of double-stranded DNA breaks as indicated by gammaH2AX levels. In synchronized cells, damaging DNA with temozolomide in the presence of ABT-888 during the S phase generated high levels of double-stranded breaks, presumably because the single-stranded DNA breaks resulting from the cleavage of the methylated nucleotides were converted into double-stranded breaks through DNA replication. As a result, treatment of temozolomide and ABT-888 during the S phase leads to higher levels of cytotoxicity. ABT-888 inhibits poly(ADP-ribose) formation in vivo and enhances tumor growth inhibition by temozolomide in multiple models. ABT-888 is well tolerated in animal models. ABT-888 is currently in clinical trials in combination with temozolomide.

ABT-888, an orally active poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor that potentiates DNA-damaging agents in preclinical tumor models.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the preclinical pharmacokinetics and antitumor efficacy of a novel orally bioavailable poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, ABT-888. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In vitro potency was determined in a PARP-1 and PARP-2 enzyme assay. In vivo efficacy was evaluated in syngeneic and xenograft models in combination with temozolomide, platinums, cyclophosphamide, and ionizing radiation. RESULTS: ABT-888 is a potent inhibitor of both PARP-1 and PARP-2 with K(i)s of 5.2 and 2.9 nmol/L, respectively. The compound has good oral bioavailability and crosses the blood-brain barrier. ABT-888 strongly potentiated temozolomide in the B16F10 s.c. murine melanoma model. PARP inhibition dramatically increased the efficacy of temozolomide at ABT-888 doses as low as 3.1 mg/kg/d and a maximal efficacy achieved at 25 mg/kg/d. In the 9L orthotopic rat glioma model, temozolomide alone exhibited minimal efficacy, whereas ABT-888, when combined with temozolomide, significantly slowed tumor progression. In the MX-1 breast xenograft model (BRCA1 deletion and BRCA2 mutation), ABT-888 potentiated cisplatin, carboplatin, and cyclophosphamide, causing regression of established tumors, whereas with comparable doses of cytotoxic agents alone, only modest tumor inhibition was exhibited. Finally, ABT-888 potentiated radiation (2 Gy/d x 10) in an HCT-116 colon carcinoma model. In each model, ABT-888 did not display single-agent activity. CONCLUSIONS: ABT-888 is a potent inhibitor of PARP, has good oral bioavailability, can cross the blood-brain barrier, and potentiates temozolomide, platinums, cyclophosphamide, and radiation in syngeneic and xenograft tumor models. This broad spectrum of chemopotentiation and radiopotentiation makes this compound an attractive candidate for clinical evaluation.

Preclinical activity of ABT-869, a multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

ABT-869 is a structurally novel, receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor that is a potent inhibitor of members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor families (e.g., KDR IC50 = 4 nmol/L) but has much less activity (IC50s > 1 micromol/L) against unrelated RTKs, soluble tyrosine kinases, or serine/threonine kinases. The inhibition profile of ABT-869 is evident in cellular assays of RTK phosphorylation (IC50 = 2, 4, and 7 nmol/L for PDGFR-beta, KDR, and CSF-1R, respectively) and VEGF-stimulated proliferation (IC50 = 0.2 nmol/L for human endothelial cells). ABT-869 is not a general antiproliferative agent because, in most cancer cells, >1,000-fold higher concentrations of ABT-869 are required for inhibition of proliferation. However, ABT-869 exhibits potent antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on cancer cells whose proliferation is dependent on mutant kinases, such as FLT3. In vivo ABT-869 is effective orally in the mechanism-based murine models of VEGF-induced uterine edema (ED50 = 0.5 mg/kg) and corneal angiogenesis (>50% inhibition, 15 mg/kg). In tumor growth studies, ABT-869 exhibits efficacy in human fibrosarcoma and breast, colon, and small cell lung carcinoma xenograft models (ED50 = 1.5-5 mg/kg, twice daily) and is also effective (>50% inhibition) in orthotopic breast and glioma models. Reduction in tumor size and tumor regression was observed in epidermoid carcinoma and leukemia xenograft models, respectively. In combination, ABT-869 produced at least additive effects when given with cytotoxic therapies. Based on pharmacokinetic analysis from tumor growth studies, efficacy correlated more strongly with time over a threshold value (cellular KDR IC50 corrected for plasma protein binding = 0.08 microg/mL, >or=7 hours) than with plasma area under the curve or Cmax. These results support clinical assessment of ABT-869 as a therapeutic agent for cancer.

Synthesis of imidazopyridines and purines as potent inhibitors of leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

The synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of heterocyclic analogues of the previously reported LTA(4) hydrolase inhibitor 1b are described. Imidazopyridine and purine analogues are specifically highlighted with several demonstrating excellent potency in our in vitro assays, as well as good oral activity in a mouse ex vivo assay.

Pyrrolidine and piperidine analogues of SC-57461A as potent, orally active inhibitors of leukotriene A(4) hydrolase.

The synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of functionalized pyrrolidine- and piperidine-containing analogues of our lead LTA(4) hydrolase inhibitor, SC-57461A, is described. A number of compounds showed excellent potency in our in vitro screens and several demonstrated good oral activity in a mouse ex vivo assay. These efforts led to the identification of SC-56938 (14) as a potent, orally active inhibitor of LTA(4) hydrolase.

Synthesis of potent leukotriene A(4) hydrolase inhibitors. Identification of 3-[methyl[3-[4-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy]propyl]amino]propanoic acid.

Leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) is a potent, proinflammatory mediator involved in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. The enzyme LTA(4) hydrolase represents an attractive target for pharmacological intervention in these disease states, since the action of this enzyme is the rate-limiting step in the production of LTB(4). Our previous efforts focused on the exploration of a series of analogues related to screening hit SC-22716 (1, 1-[2-(4-phenylphenoxy)ethyl]pyrrolidine) and resulted in the identification of potent, orally active inhibitors such as 2. Additional structure-activity relationship studies around this structural class resulted in the identification of a series of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-amino acid analogues that are potent inhibitors of the LTA(4) hydrolase enzyme and demonstrated good oral activity in a mouse ex vivo whole blood LTB(4) production assay. The efforts leading to the identification of clinical candidate SC-57461A (8d, 3-[methyl[3-[4-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy]propyl]amino]propanoic acid) are described.