Discovery of a novel androgen receptor antagonist, MEL-6, with stereoselective activity and optimization of its metabolic stability.

A new chemical scaffold with antagonistic activity towards the androgen receptor (AR) was identified. The parent compound, (3-Methoxy-N-[1-methyl-2-(4-phenyl-1-piperazinyl)-2-(2-thienyl)ethyl]benzamide) referred to as MEL-6, binds in the ligand binding pocket of AR and induces an antagonistic conformation of the ligand binding domain, even in presence of the antagonist-to-agonist switch mutations W741C, T877A and F876L-T877A. MEL-6 has antiproliferative effects on several AR positive prostate cancer cell lines. We further identified AR as the specific target of MEL-6 since it demonstrates little effect on other steroid receptors. In LNCaP cells it also inhibits the androgen-regulated transcriptome. These findings identify MEL-6 as a promising candidate for treatment of patients with prostate tumors that have become resistant to current clinically used AR antagonists. Analytical studies on the chemical composition of MEL-6 identified the presence of four isomers (two enantiomeric pairs), among which one isomer is responsible for the antiandrogenic activity. We therefore developed a synthetic route towards the selective preparation of the active enantiomeric pair. Various MEL-6-like analogues had improved metabolic stability while maintaining antiandrogenic activity. Metabolite identification of MEL-6 derivatives pinpointed N-dealkylation of the piperazine as the main mode for inactivation by liver enzymes. For further structural optimization, MEL-6 derivatives were purchased or synthesized having alterations on the N-phenyl group of the piperazine, the benzoyl group and additionally substituting the thiophen-2-yl ring of MEL-6 to a phenyl ring. This optimization process resulted in compound 12b with sustained AR inhibition and a 4-fold increased half-life due to the 1-(5-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-piperazine substitution, thienyl-to-phenyl substitution and chloro in para-position of the benzoyl group.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling of a novel series of fused 1,2,3-triazoles as potential anti-coronavirus agents.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel library of fused 1,2,3-triazole derivatives are described. The in-house developed multicomponent reaction based on commercially available starting materials was applied and broad biological screening against various viruses was performed, showing promising antiviral properties for compounds 14d, 14n, 14q, 18f and 18i against human coronavirus 229E. Further in silico studies identified the key molecular interactions between those compounds and the 3-chymotrypsin-like protease, which is essential to the intracellular replication of the virus, supporting the hypothesis that the protease is the target molecule of the potential antiviral derivatives.

Oxidative transformation to naphthodithiophene and thia[7]helicenes by intramolecular Scholl reaction of substituted 1,2-bis(2-thienyl)benzene precursors.

We present here a strategy to synthesize a variety of substituted naphthodithiophene building blocks through DDQ/acid-mediated oxidative cyclizations. The versatility of the Scholl reaction using the DDQ/acid system was demonstrated by the preparation of a novel substituted tetrathia[7]helicene where three new C-C bonds were formed in a one-pot procedure. The new DDQ/acid method was compared to the known strategies such as FeCl3 oxidation and oxidative photocyclization. By protecting the 1,2-bis(2-thienyl)benzene precursors, it is possible to direct the intermediates to controlled cyclization and effectively suppressing the polymerization. The highly reactive α-position of the terminal thiophenes can allow for further functionalization. The efficient preparation of a variety of naphthodithiophene building blocks, the extension to a nonphotochemical synthesis of [n]helicenes, and the ease of isolation of the products are arguments for the use of DDQ/acid system for this Scholl reaction.