The identification of indacaterol as an ultralong-acting inhaled beta2-adrenoceptor agonist.

Following a lipophilicity-based hypothesis, an 8-hydroxyquinolinone 2-aminoindan derived series of beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists have been prepared and evaluated for their potential as inhaled ultralong-acting bronchodilators. Determination of their activities at the human beta(2)-adrenoceptor receptor showed symmetrical substitution of the 2-aminoindan moiety at the 5- and 6-positions delivered the targeted intermediate potency and intrinsic-efficacy profiles relative to a series of clinical reference beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists. Further assessment with an in vitro superfused electrically stimulated guinea-pig tracheal-strip assay established the onset and duration of action time courses, which could be rationalized by considering the lipophilicity, potency, and intrinsic efficacy of the compounds. From these studies the 5,6-diethylindan analogue indacaterol 1c was shown to possess a unique profile of combining a rapid onset of action with a long duration of action. Further in vivo profiling of 1c supported the long duration of action and a wide therapeutic index following administration to the lung, which led to the compound being selected as a development candidate.

Interaction between adenosine and allergen or compound 48/80 on lung parenchymal strips from actively sensitized Brown Norway rats.

We have investigated the effect of mast cell activation induced by immunological and non-immunological stimuli on the sensitivity to adenosine of parenchymal strips prepared from lungs removed from Brown Norway (BN) rats actively sensitized to ovalbumin. Strips responded to ovalbumin with a biphasic contractile response. Responses to adenosine were markedly increased 30 min after ovalbumin. The first phase of the response to ovalbumin was abolished by the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2 receptor antagonist, methysergide and unaffected by the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, iralukast. The second phase was abolished by iralukast and unaffected by methysergide. The response to adenosine was markedly reduced by methysergide but not significantly altered by iralukast. Compound 48/80 (condensation product of N-methyl-p-methoxyphenylethylamine with formaldehyde) induced methysergide-sensitive contractions of the parenchymal strip and potentiated adenosine; the augmented response to adenosine was blocked by methysergide. Thus, activation of mast cells in the lung by either immunological or non-immunological stimuli results in augmentation of the mast cell-mediated contractile response to adenosine.

Antagonist pharmacology of adenosine A2B receptors from rat, guinea pig and dog.

We have sought evidence for species differences between adenosine A2B receptors by comparing the potencies of eight adenosine receptor antagonists, representing four different chemical classes, at the native adenosine A2B receptors which mediate relaxation of smooth muscle from rat colon, guinea pig aorta and dog saphenous vein. In all three assays, the antagonists caused parallel rightward shifts in the concentration-response curves to NECA and there was no depression of the maximum responses. There were highly significant correlations between the pKB values on each of the three receptors. However, the pKB values of 8-SPT (8-p-(sulphophenyl)theophylline), XAC (8-[-[[[[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-carbonyl]methyl]oxy]phenyl]-1,3-dipropylxanthine), CGS 15943 (9-chloro-2,2-(furanyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]quinazolin-5-amine) and CGH 2473 N-[4-(3,4-dichloro-phenyl)-5-pyridin-4-yl-thiazol-2-yl]-acetamide) for the dog receptor exceeded by at least 0.5 log units the pKB values at the rat and guinea pig sites. Our data indicate species differences between the rat and guinea pig adenosine A2B receptors on the one hand and the dog adenosine A2B receptor on the other with respect to antagonist pharmacology.