ABSTRACT
Herein we report investigations into the p38alpha MAP kinase activity of trisubstituted imidazoles that led to the identification of compounds possessing highly potent in vivo activity. The SAR of a novel series of imidazopyridines is demonstrated as well, resulting in compounds possessing cellular potency and enhanced in vivo activity in the rat collagen-induced arthritis model of chronic inflammation.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Imidazoles/pharmacology , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14/antagonists & inhibitors , Pyridines/pharmacology , Adenosine Triphosphate/analogs & derivatives , Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacokinetics , Benzimidazoles/chemistry , Benzimidazoles/pharmacokinetics , Benzimidazoles/pharmacology , Edema/drug therapy , ErbB Receptors/metabolism , Humans , Imidazoles/chemistry , Imidazoles/pharmacokinetics , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Peptide Fragments/metabolism , Pyridines/chemistry , Pyridines/pharmacokinetics , Rats , Structure-Activity Relationship , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/antagonists & inhibitors , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolismABSTRACT
We report the design and discovery of a 2-aminobenzimidazole-based series of potent and highly selective p38alphainhibitors. The lead compound 1 had low-nanomolar activity in both ATP competitive enzyme binding and inhibition of TNFalpha release in macrophages. Compound 18 showed excellent pharmacokinetics properties and oral activity in the rat collagen induced arthritis model compared with other p38 reference compounds. A SAR strategy to address CyP3A4 liability is also described.
