The discovery of non-basic atrial natriuretic peptide clearance receptor antagonists. Part 1.

The cyclic peptide ANP 4-23 and the linear peptide analogue AP-811 have been shown to be selective ANP-CR antagonists. Via alanine scanning and truncation studies we sought to determine which residues in these molecules were important in their binding to the clearance receptor and the relationship between these two molecules. These studies show that several modifications to these compounds are possible which improve physical properties of these molecules while retaining high affinity for the ANP-CR.

Orally active trifluoromethyl ketone inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase.

This paper describes the development a series of peptidyl trifluoromethyl ketone inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase which are found to have excellent pharmacological profiles. Methods have been developed that allow for the synthesis of these inhibitors in stereochemically pure form. Two of these compounds, 1k and 1l, have high levels of oral bioavailability in several species. Compound 1l has entered development as ZD8321 and is presently undergoing clinical evaluation. These compounds demonstrate that peptidyl trifluoromethyl ketone inhibitors can achieve high levels of oral activity and bioavailability, and therefore they may prove useful as therapeutic agents in the treatment of diseases in which elastase is implicated.

Nonpeptidic inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase. 6. Design of a potent, intratracheally active, pyridone-based trifluoromethyl ketone.

Further modification of the 3-amino substituent in a trifluoromethyl ketone-based series of 3-amino-6-phenylpyridin-2-ones that had been optimized for oral activity led to analogs that were potent intratracheal inhibitors in a model of HLE-induced lung damage in the hamster. The best 3-amino substituent for intratracheal activity is [4-[N-[(4-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl]-carbamoyl]phenyl]sulfonyl. At a 30 min prechallenge interval, compound 9, which incorporates this substituent, had an ED50 of approximately 2 nmol/animal and, qualitatively, afforded a very similar dose-response relationship to that found with a peptidic trifluoromethyl ketone inhibitor, ICI 200,355.

Synthesis, structure-activity relationships, and pharmacological evaluation of a series of fluorinated 3-benzyl-5-indolecarboxamides: identification of 4-[[5-[((2R)-2-methyl-4,4,4-trifluorobutyl)carbamoyl]-1-methyl indol- 3-yl]methyl]-3-methoxy-N-[(2-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]benzamide, a potent, orally active antagonist of leukotrienes D4 and E4.

The continued exploration of a series of 3-(arylmethyl)-1H-indole-5-carboxamides by the introduction of fluorinated amide substituents has resulted in the discovery of 4-[[5-[((2R)-2-methyl-4,4,4-trifluorobutyl)carbamoyl]-1-methyli ndol- 3-yl]methyl]-3-methoxy-N-[(2-methyl-phenyl)sulfonyl]benzamide (38p, ZENECA ZD3523), which has been chosen for clinical evaluation. This compound exhibited a Ki of 0.42 nM for displacement of [3H]LTD4 on guinea pig lung membranes, a pKB of 10.13 +/- 0.14 versus LTE4 on guinea pig trachea, and an oral ED50 of 1.14 mumol/kg opposite LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs. The R enantiomer was found to be modestly more potent than the S enantiomer 38o. Modification of the amide substituent to afford achiral compounds was unsuccessful in achieving comparable levels of activity. Profiling of 38p opposite a variety of functional assays has demonstrated the selectivity of this compound as a leukotriene receptor antagonist. The enantioselective synthesis of 38p, which employed a diastereoselective alkylation of (4R,5S)-3-(1-oxo-4,4,4-trifluorobutyl)-4-methyl-5-phenyl-2-oxazoli dinone (27) as the key step to establish the chirality of the amide substituent, provided an efficient route for generating 38p in > 99% enantiomeric purity.

A novel series of selective leukotriene antagonists: exploration and optimization of the acidic region in 1,6-disubstituted indoles and indazoles.

A systematic structure-activity exploration of the carboxylic acid region in a series of indole- or indazole-derived leukotriene antagonists 1 led to several discoveries. Use of the 3-methoxy-p-tolyl fragment (illustrated in acid 1) for connecting the indole and the acidic site provides the most potent carboxylic acids 1, tetrazoles 20, and aryl sulfonimides 21. The aryl sulfonimides are 5-500 times more potent (in vitro and/or in vivo) than the corresponding carboxylic acids 1. The o-tolyl sulfonimides such as 114 show greater oral potency than the phenyl sulfonimides at a given level of in vitro activity. Acidic keto sulfone derivatives 10 (Nu = CH-(CO2CH3)SO2Ph) mimic the activity of the sulfonimides.

Synthesis and in vitro LTD4 antagonist activity of bicyclic and monocyclic cyclopentylurethane and cyclopentylacetamide N-arylsulfonyl amides.

The dissociation constants (KB) at the LTD4 receptor on guinea pig trachea of a series of monocyclic and bicyclic cyclopentylurethane and cyclopentylacetamide N-arylsulfonyl amides have been measured. The KB was found to be remarkably tolerant of changes in the electronic constitution and lipophilicity of the bicyclic ring system (template). Thus, N-[4[[6-[[(cyclopentyloxy)carbonyl]amino]benzimidazol-1- yl]methyl]-3-methoxybenzoyl]benzenesulfonamide (11a) and N-[4-[[5-[[(cyclopentyloxy)carbonyl]amino]benzo[b]thien-3- yl]methyl]-3-methoxybenzoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (25a) had closely similar affinities (pKB, 9.20 and 9.31, respectively; LTE4 as agonist). It has been shown that the hetero-ring of the template need not be aromatic in order to achieve high affinity, since indoline 31 and 2,3-dihydrobenz-1,4-oxazines 37a-c had pKBs greater than 9. Further, it has been shown that an o-aminophenone (see 42 and Figure 3) can function as a template; the template in 42 [see iii] is bicyclic by virtue of the presence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. In contrast, when the template is a phenyl ring (48), receptor affinity is markedly reduced. These findings support the notion that central bicyclic ring system in this family of peptidoleukotriene antagonists is a molecular feature which helps to preorganize the acylamino and acidic chains and thereby facilitate the molecular recognition event.

Hydroxyacetophenone-derived antagonists of the peptidoleukotrienes.

Considerations of the possible similarities between leukotriene D4 and its prototypical antagonist, FPL 55712, led to the development of a new series of leukotriene antagonists incorporating a hydroxyacetophenone group (e.g., the toluic acids 16 and 18). Although considerable attention has focused on FPL 55712-derived analogues, only limited investigations into alternatives for the standard 4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-propylphenoxy moiety have been reported. Therefore, an extensive study of modifications to the hydroxyacetophenone portion of toluic acid 18 was undertaken. Although no viable alternative to the 3-hydroxy moiety was discovered, replacements for the 2-propyl group (34, 37) and the 4-acetyl functionality (56, 59) yielded potent antagonists. A number of compounds exhibited longer duration of action in vivo than FPL 55712.

Synthesis and pharmacological characterization of a series of leukotriene analogues with antagonist and agonist activities.

The synthesis and biological characterization of a series of novel leukotriene antagonists and agonists are reported. All of these compounds are derivatives of (5S,6R,7Z)-5-hydroxy-6-mercapto-9-phenyl-7-nonenoic acid. One of the more potent compounds is (5S,6R,7Z)-6-[[(4-carboxy-2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]thio]-5-hydroxy-9 -(4- heptylphenyl)-7-nonenoic acid (3f). In vitro evaluation of this compound on guinea pig trachea revealed that it is a competitive antagonist of LTD4 and LTE4 with pKB values of 6.4 and 5.8, respectively. On guinea pig ileum, the pKB values obtained for it with LTD4 and E4 were both 7.2. The selectivity of 3f was shown by its lack of effect on carbachol, histamine, and barium chloride concentration-response curves in guinea pig trachea.

Chemically stable homocinnamyl analogues of the leukotrienes: synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation.

The synthesis and biological characterization of a series of stable leukotriene analogues (2) are reported. They are derivatives of (5S,6R,7Z)-6-peptidyl-5-hydroxy-9-phenyl-7-nonenoic acid, in which the phenyl group is variously substituted with a heptanyl, 2-heptenyl, or hexanyloxy chain (R1) and the peptide is either glutathionyl, cysteinylglycinyl, or cysteinyl. The most potent agonist is (5S,6R,7Z)-6-S-glutathionyl-5-hydroxy-9-(4-heptanylphenyl)-7 -nonenoic acid. This analogue has an EC50 value of 74.5 nM, in the presence of 1-serine borate (45 mM), on guinea pig tracheal spirals. The agonist activity of the cysteinylglycinyl- and the cysteinyl-substituted analogues was inhibited by FPL-55712. Three of the analogues were weak leukotriene antagonists in vitro on guinea pig tracheal spirals. The most potent of these was (5S,6R,7Z)-6-S-cysteinyl-5-hydroxy-9-(2-heptanylphenyl)-7-++ +nonenoic acid. At 10 microM, this analogue inhibited by 28% the contraction induced by 8 nM LTE4.