Discovery, synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of N-(phenylcarbamothioyl)-2-napthamides as inhibitors of Claudin-1.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, despite advancements in diagnosis. The main reason for this is that many newly diagnosed CRC patients will suffer from metastasis to other organs. Thus, the development of new therapies is of critical importance. Claudin-1 protein is a component of tight junctions in epithelial cells, including those found in the lining of the colon. It plays a critical role in the formation and maintenance of tight junctions, which are essential for regulating the passage of molecules between cells. In CRC, claudin-1 is often overexpressed, leading to an increase in cell adhesion, which can contribute to the development and progression of the disease. Studies show that high levels of claudin-1 are associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients and targeting claudin-1 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of CRC. Previously, we have identified a small molecule that inhibits claudin-1 dependent CRC progression. Reported herein are our lead optimization efforts around this scaffold to identify the key SAR components and the discovery of a key new compound that exhibits enhanced potency in SW620 cells.

Synthesis and Biological Characterization of a Series of 2-Sulfonamidebenzamides as Allosteric Modulators of MrgX1.

The present study describes our continued efforts in the discovery and characterization of a series of 2-sulfonamidebenzamides as allosteric modulators of MrgX1. MrgX1 has been shown to be an attractive target as a nonopioid receptor for the potential treatment of chronic pain. Working from our original compound, ML382, and utilizing iterative medicinal chemistry, we have identified key halogen substituents that improve MrgX1 potency by ∼8-fold. In addition, we have evaluated the compounds in Tier 1 drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics assays and have identified key compounds that impart improved potency and microsomal stability.

Curcumin as a Potential Therapeutic Agent in Certain Cancer Types.

Cancer is a devastating disease condition and is the second most common etiology of death globally. After decades of research in the field of hematological malignancies and cellular therapeutics, we are still looking for therapeutic agents with the most efficacies and least toxicities. Curcumin is one of the cancer therapeutic agents that is derived from the Curcuma longa (turmeric) plant, and still in vitro and in vivo research is going on to find its beneficial effects on various cancers. Due to its potency to affect multiple targets of different cellular pathways, it is considered a promising agent to tackle various cancers alone or in combination with the existing chemotherapies. This review covers basic properties, mechanism of action, potential targets (molecules and cell-signaling pathways) of curcumin, as well as its effect on various solid and hematological malignancies.

Discovery and characterization of benzyloxy piperidine based dopamine 4 receptor antagonists.

The dopamine receptor 4 (D4R) is highly expressed in both motor, associative and limbic subdivisions of the cortico-basal ganglia network. Due to the distribution in the brain, there is mounting evidence pointing to a role for the D4R in the modulation of this network and its subsequent involvement in l-DOPA induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease. As part of our continued effort in the discovery of novel D4R antagonists, we report the discovery and characterization of a new 3- or 4-benzyloxypiperidine scaffold as D4R antagonists. We report several D4R selective compounds (>30-fold vs. other dopamine receptor subtypes) with improved in vitro and in vivo stability over previously reported D4R antagonists.

Synthesis and SAR Studies of 1H-Pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-2-carboxamides as Phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) Inhibitors.

Herein we report the synthesis, SAR, and biological evaluation of a series of 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-2-carboxamide derivatives as selective and potent PDE4B inhibitors. Compound 11h is a PDE4B preferring inhibitor and exhibited acceptable in vitro ADME and significantly inhibited TNF-α release from macrophages exposed to pro-inflammatory stimuli (i.e., lipopolysaccharide and the synthetic bacterial lipopeptide Pam3Cys). In addition, 11h was selective against a panel of CNS receptors and represents an excellent lead for further optimization and preclinical testing in the setting of CNS diseases.

Discovery, synthesis and characterization of a series of 7-aryl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-3-ylquinolines as activin-like kinase (ALK) inhibitors.

The activin-like kinases are a family of kinases that play important roles in a variety of disease states. Of this class of kinases, ALK2, has been shown by a gain-of-function to be the primary driver of the childhood skeletal disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) and more recently the pediatric cancer diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Herein, we report our efforts to identify a novel imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine scaffold as potent inhibitors of ALK2 with good in vivo pharmacokinetic properties suitable for future animal studies.

KVA-D-88, a Novel Preferable Phosphodiesterase 4B Inhibitor, Decreases Cocaine-Mediated Reward Properties in Vivo.

Cocaine addiction remains a major public concern throughout the world especially in developed countries. In the last three decades, significant achievements have led to a greater understanding of the signaling pathways involved in the development of cocaine addiction; however, there are no FDA-approved treatments available to reverse or block this brain disease due to either the unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy or severe side effects. Previous studies have demonstrated that chronic exposure to cocaine elevates levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) as a neuroadaptative response in reward-related brain regions. Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors, which elevate cAMP levels, have been shown to block cocaine-mediated behavioral changes related to psychoactive and reinforcing properties. Unfortunately, previously studied PDE4 inhibitors induce severe side-effects, which limit their clinical usage. In this study, we identified a novel PDE4B inhibitor, KVA-D-88, with an improved selectivity profile compared to previous compounds (e.g., rolipram). Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that this compound is brain penetrant and preferably acts on PDE4B compared to PDE4D in vitro, alluding to less unwanted side effects with KVA-D-88 in vivo. Interestingly, pretreatment with KVA-D-88 significantly inhibited cocaine-induced hyperlocomotor activity. In cocaine self-administering mice with differential schedules, KVA-D-88 strikingly decreased the number of active nose-pokes and cocaine infusions and reduced the break point. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that this novel PDE4 inhibitor, KVA-D-88, could inhibit cocaine-mediated rewarding effects implying its potential clinical usage for cocaine addiction.

Discovery of Small Molecule Renal Outer Medullary Potassium (ROMK) Channel Inhibitors: A Brief History of Medicinal Chemistry Approaches To Develop Novel Diuretic Therapeutics.

The renal outer medullary potassium (ROMK) channel is a member of the inwardly rectifying family of potassium (Kir, Kir1.1) channels. It is primarily expressed in two regions of the kidney, the cortical collecting duct (CCD) and the thick ascending loop of Henle (TALH). At the CCD it tightly regulates potassium secretion while controlling potassium recycling in TALH. As loss-of-function mutations lead to salt wasting and low blood pressure, it has been surmised that inhibitors of ROMK would represent a target for new and improved diuretics for the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. In this review, we discuss and provide an overview of the medicinal chemistry approaches toward the development of small molecule ROMK inhibitors over the past decade.

Discovery and Characterization of 1H-Pyrazol-5-yl-2-phenylacetamides as Novel, Non-Urea-Containing GIRK1/2 Potassium Channel Activators.

The G protein-gated inwardly-rectifying potassium channels (GIRK, Kir3) are a family of inward-rectifying potassium channels, and there is significant evidence supporting the roles of GIRKs in a number of physiological processes and as potential targets for numerous indications. Previously reported urea containing molecules as GIRK1/2 preferring activators have had significant pharmacokinetic (PK) liabilities. Here we report a novel series of 1H-pyrazolo-5-yl-2-phenylacetamides in an effort to improve upon the PK properties. This series of compounds display nanomolar potency as GIRK1/2 activators with improved brain distribution (rodent Kp > 0.6).

Design of a hydrogen peroxide-activatable agent that specifically targets cancer cells.

Some cancers, like acute myeloid leukemia (AML), use reactive oxygen species to endogenously activate cell proliferation and angiogenic signaling cascades. Thus many cancers display increases in reactive oxygen like hydrogen peroxide concentrations. To translate this finding into a therapeutic strategy we designed new hydrogen peroxide-activated agents with two key molecular pharmacophores. The first pharmacophore is a peroxide-acceptor and the second is a pendant amine. The acceptor is an N-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)acetamide susceptible to hydrogen peroxide oxidation. We hypothesized that selectivity between AML and normal cells could be achieved by tuning the pendant amine. Synthesis and testing of fourteen compounds that differed at the pendent amine led to the identification of an agent (14) with 2µM activity against AML cancer cells and an eleven fold-lower activity in healthy CD34+ blood stem cells. Interestingly, analysis shows that upon oxidation the pendant amine cyclizes, ejecting water, with the acceptor to give a bicyclic compound capable of reacting with nucleophiles. Preliminary mechanistic investigations show that AML cells made from addition of two oncogenes (NrasG12D and MLL-AF9) increase the ROS-status, is initially an anti-oxidant as hydrogen peroxide is consumed to activate the pro-drug, and cells respond by upregulating electrophilic defense as visualized by Western blotting of KEAP1. Thus, using this chemical approach we have obtained a simple, potent, and selective ROS-activated anti-AML agent.

Novel ROS-activated agents utilize a tethered amine to selectively target acute myeloid leukemia.

This study explores the possible use of reactive oxygen-activated DNA modifying agents against acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A key amine on the lead agent was investigated via cytotoxicity assays and was found necessary for potency. The two best compounds were screened via the NCI-60 cell panel. These two compounds had potency between 200 and 800nM against many of the leukemia cancer cell types. Subsequent experiments explored activity against a transformed AML model that mimics the molecular signatures identified in primary AML patient samples. A lead compound had an IC50 of 760nM against this AML cell line as well as a therapeutic index of 7.7±3 between the transformed AML model cell line and non-cancerous human CD34+ blood stem/progenitor cells (UCB). The selectivity was much greater than the mainstays of AML treatment: doxorubicin and cytarabine. This manuscript demonstrates that this novel type of agent may be useful against AML.