Late-Stage Lead Diversification Coupled with Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Identify New Structure-Activity Relationship Vectors at Nanomole-Scale Synthesis: Application to Loratadine, a Human Histamine H1 Receptor Inverse Agonist.

An experimental approach is described for late-stage lead diversification of frontrunner drug candidates using nanomole-scale amounts of lead compounds for structure-activity relationship development. The process utilizes C-H bond activation methods to explore chemical space by transforming candidates into newly functionalized leads. A key to success is the utilization of microcryoprobe nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, which permits the use of low amounts of lead compounds (1-5 µmol). The approach delivers multiple analogues from a single lead at nanomole-scale amounts as DMSO-d6 stock solutions with a known structure and concentration for in vitro pharmacology and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion testing. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, we have used the antihistamine agent loratadine (1). Twenty-six analogues of loratadine were isolated and fully characterized by NMR. Informative SAR analogues were identified, which display potent affinity for the human histamine H1 receptor and improved metabolic stability.

A rapid and specific derivatization procedure to identify acyl-glucuronides by mass spectrometry.

A simple procedure is described to identify acyl-glucuronides by coupled liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry after derivatization to a hydroxamic acid with hydroxylamine. The reaction specificity obviates the need for isolation of the acyl-glucuronide from an extract. Glucuronides derived from carbamic acids, and alkyl- and aromatic amines, are inert to the derivatization reaction conditions, making the hydroxamic acid derivative a fingerprint for acyl-glucuronides.

Discovery of azetidinyl ketolides for the treatment of susceptible and multidrug resistant community-acquired respiratory tract infections.

Respiratory tract bacterial strains are becoming increasingly resistant to currently marketed macrolide antibiotics. The current alternative telithromycin (1) from the newer ketolide class of macrolides addresses resistance but is hampered by serious safety concerns, hepatotoxicity in particular. We have discovered a novel series of azetidinyl ketolides that focus on mitigation of hepatotoxicity by minimizing hepatic turnover and time-dependent inactivation of CYP3A isoforms in the liver without compromising the potency and efficacy of 1.

Metabolism and disposition of varenicline, a selective alpha4beta2 acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, in vivo and in vitro.

The metabolism and disposition of varenicline (7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine), a partial agonist of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor for the treatment of tobacco addiction, was examined in rats, mice, monkeys, and humans after oral administration of [14C]varenicline. In the circulation of all species, the majority of drug-related material was composed of unchanged varenicline. In all four species, drug-related material was primarily excreted in the urine. A large percentage was excreted as unchanged parent drug (90, 84, 75, and 81% of the dose in mouse, rat, monkey, and human, respectively). Metabolites observed in excreta arose via N-carbamoyl glucuronidation and oxidation. These metabolites were also observed in the circulation, in addition to metabolites that arose via N-formylation and formation of a novel hexose conjugate. Experiments were conducted using in vitro systems to gain an understanding of the enzymes involved in the formation of the N-carbamoylglucuronide metabolite in humans. N-Carbamoyl glucuronidation was catalyzed by UGT2B7 in human liver microsomes when incubations were conducted under a CO2 atmosphere. The straightforward dispositional profile of varenicline should simplify its use in the clinic as an aid in smoking cessation.

Measurement of Michaelis constants for cytochrome P450-mediated biotransformation reactions using a substrate depletion approach.

The Michaelis constant (KM) for cytochrome P450-mediated drug biotransformation reactions can be an important parameter in understanding the potential for a drug to exhibit saturable metabolism in vivo and nonlinear dose-exposure relationships. KM values were measured for several drug biotransformation reactions using recombinant heterologously expressed human enzymes. These determinations were made using an approach of monitoring substrate loss ("in vitro t1/2" method) at multiple substrate concentrations, with the objective of comparing KM values determined by this approach with KM values determined using the conventional approach of measuring product formation rates at several substrate concentrations. The reactions examined were CYP2C9-catalyzed diclofenac 4'-hydroxylation, CYP2D6-catalyzed dextromethorphan O-demethylation and thioridazine S-oxidation, CYP2C19-catalyzed imipramine N-demethylation, CYP3A4-catalyzed midazolam 1'-hydroxylation, and CYP1A2-catalyzed tacrine 1-hydroxylation. KM values spanned an 80-fold range from 0.12 microM (CYP2D6-catalyzed thioridazine S-oxidation) to 9.8 microM (CYP2C19-catalyzed imipramine N-demethylation). On average, KM values determined by the substrate depletion approach were within 1.54-fold of those determined by measuring product formation. Thus, KM values can be determined for drug metabolism reactions without requiring knowledge of metabolite structures or requiring authentic standards of metabolites for use in construction of standard curves for quantitative bioanalysis. The in vitro t1/2 approach of determining KM values should be useful in early drug discovery efforts to identify those compounds with low KM values and, hence, a greater probability of exhibiting supraproportional dose-exposure relationships.