Phthalazinone-based lactams and cyclic ureas as ROCK2 selective inhibitors.

Derivatives of lactam, cyclic urea and carbamate were explored as aniline amide replacements in a series of phthalazinone-based ROCK inhibitors. Potent ROCK2 inhibitors such as 22 were identified with excellent overall kinase selectivity as well as good isoform selectivity over ROCK1.

Improved efficacy/safety profile of factor XIa inhibitor BMS-724296 versus factor Xa inhibitor apixaban and thrombin inhibitor dabigatran in cynomolgus monkeys.

BACKGROUND: Inhibition of activated factor XI (FXIa) is a promising antithrombotic drug target. BMS-724296 is a selective, reversible, small-molecule inhibitor of human FXIa (Ki 0.3 nM). OBJECTIVES: This study assessed effects of BMS-724296 versus standard-of-care oral anticoagulants apixaban (activated factor X inhibitor) and dabigatran (thrombin inhibitor) on arterial thrombosis, kidney bleeding time (KBT), and clotting time (CT) in nonhuman primate (NHP) cynomolgus monkey models. METHODS: Carotid artery thrombosis was produced by electrical stimulation in anesthetized NHPs. Hemostasis was assessed with a provoked KBT model. Thrombosis, KBT, and CT were monitored. Vehicle and various doses of BMS-724296, apixaban, and dabigatran were administered as bolus (intravenous [i.v.]) followed by infusion starting 30 minutes before initiation of thrombosis and continued until the experiment's end (n = 3-8/group). Primary end points included thrombus weight reduction (TWR), KBT, and CT (activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], prothrombin time [PT], and thrombin time [TT]). RESULTS: BMS-724296 at 0.025 + 0.05, 0.05 + 0.1, 0.102 + 0.2, and 0.4 + 0.8 mg/kg+mg/kg/h i.v. (bolus + infusion) reduced thrombus weight by 0 ± 0, 35 ± 7*, 72 ± 4*, and 86 ± 4%*, respectively (*P < .05 vs vehicle; n = 5-6/group). BMS-724296 at the highest dose (0.4 + 0.8 mg/kg+mg/kg/h) did not increase KBT compared to vehicle (109 ± 6 vs 113 ± 20 seconds, respectively) and increased ex vivo aPTT by 2.9 ± 0.1-fold without changing PT and TT. In companion NHP studies, high doses of apixaban and dabigatran produced similar TWR as BMS-724296, but increased KBT 4.3 ± 0.5-fold and 5.8 ± 0.5-fold, respectively (n = 3-4/group). CONCLUSIONS: BMS-724296 produced similar antithrombotic efficacy as apixaban and dabigatran but with no increase in KBT in NHPs. These findings suggest that FXIa inhibitors may provide safe and effective antithrombotic therapy.

Discovery of a phenylpyrazole amide ROCK inhibitor as a tool molecule for in vivo studies.

Structure-activity relationship optimization on a series of phenylpyrazole amides led to the identification of a dual ROCK1 and ROCK2 inhibitor (25) which demonstrated good potency, kinome selectivity and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles. Compound 25 was selected as a tool molecule for in vivo studies including evaluating hemodynamic effects in telemeterized mice, from which moderate decreases in blood pressure were observed.

Identification of 5H-chromeno[3,4-c]pyridine and 6H-isochromeno[3,4-c]pyridine derivatives as potent and selective dual ROCK inhibitors.

A novel series of 5H-chromeno[3,4-c]pyridine, 6H-isochromeno[3,4-c]pyridine and 6H-isochromeno[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives as dual ROCK1 and ROCK2 inhibitors is described. Optimization led to compounds with sub-nanomolar inhibitory affinity for both kinases and excellent kinome selectivity. Compound 19 exhibited ROCK1 and ROCK2 IC50 of 0.67 nM and 0.18 nM respectively.

Factor XIa Inhibitors as New Anticoagulants.

With the introduction of thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors to the oral anticoagulant market, significant improvements in both efficacy and safety have been achieved. Early clinical and preclinical data suggest that inhibitors of factor XIa can provide a still safer alternative, with expanded efficacy for arterial indications. This Perspective provides an overview of target rationale and details of the discovery and development of inhibitors of factor XIa as next generation antithrombotic agents.

Pyridazine and pyridazinone derivatives as potent and selective factor XIa inhibitors.

Pyridazine and pyridazinone derivatives were designed and synthesized as coagulation factor XIa inhibitors. Potent and selective inhibitors with single digit nanomolar affinity for factor XIa were discovered. Selected inhibitors demonstrated moderate oral bioavailability.

Discovery of a Parenteral Small Molecule Coagulation Factor XIa Inhibitor Clinical Candidate (BMS-962212).

Factor XIa (FXIa) is a blood coagulation enzyme that is involved in the amplification of thrombin generation. Mounting evidence suggests that direct inhibition of FXIa can block pathologic thrombus formation while preserving normal hemostasis. Preclinical studies using a variety of approaches to reduce FXIa activity, including direct inhibitors of FXIa, have demonstrated good antithrombotic efficacy without increasing bleeding. On the basis of this potential, we targeted our efforts at identifying potent inhibitors of FXIa with a focus on discovering an acute antithrombotic agent for use in a hospital setting. Herein we describe the discovery of a potent FXIa clinical candidate, 55 (FXIa Ki = 0.7 nM), with excellent preclinical efficacy in thrombosis models and aqueous solubility suitable for intravenous administration. BMS-962212 is a reversible, direct, and highly selective small molecule inhibitor of FXIa.

Macrocyclic factor XIa inhibitors.

A series of macrocyclic factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitors was designed based on an analysis of the crystal structures of the acyclic phenylimidazole compounds. Further optimization using structure-based design led to inhibitors with pM affinity for FXIa, excellent selectivity against a panel of relevant serine proteases, and good potency in the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) clotting assay.

Macrocyclic inhibitors of Factor XIa: Discovery of alkyl-substituted macrocyclic amide linkers with improved potency.

Optimization of macrocyclic inhibitors of FXIa is described which focused on modifications to both the macrocyclic linker and the P1 group. Increases in potency were discovered through interactions with a key hydrophobic region near the S1 prime pocket by substitution of the macrocyclic linker with small alkyl groups. Both the position of substitution and the absolute stereochemistry of the alkyl groups on the macrocyclic linker which led to improved potency varied depending on the ring size of the macrocycle. Replacement of the chlorophenyltetrazole cinnamide P1 in these optimized macrocycles reduced the polar surface area and improved the oral bioavailability for the series, albeit at the cost of a decrease in potency.

Structure-Based Design of Macrocyclic Factor XIa Inhibitors: Discovery of the Macrocyclic Amide Linker.

A novel series of macrocyclic FXIa inhibitors was designed based on our lead acyclic phenyl imidazole chemotype. Our initial macrocycles, which were double-digit nanomolar FXIa inhibitors, were further optimized with assistance from utilization of structure-based drug design and ligand bound X-ray crystal structures. This effort resulted in the discovery of a macrocyclic amide linker which was found to form a key hydrogen bond with the carbonyl of Leu41 in the FXIa active site, resulting in potent FXIa inhibitors. The macrocyclic FXIa series, exemplified by compound 16, had a FXIa Ki = 0.16 nM with potent anticoagulant activity in an in vitro clotting assay (aPTT EC1.5x = 0.27 µM) and excellent selectivity against the relevant blood coagulation enzymes.

Orally bioavailable pyridine and pyrimidine-based Factor XIa inhibitors: Discovery of the methyl N-phenyl carbamate P2 prime group.

Pyridine-based Factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor (S)-2 was optimized by modifying the P2 prime, P1, and scaffold regions. This work resulted in the discovery of the methyl N-phenyl carbamate P2 prime group which maintained FXIa activity, reduced the number of H-bond donors, and improved the physicochemical properties compared to the amino indazole P2 prime moiety. Compound (S)-17 was identified as a potent and selective FXIa inhibitor that was orally bioavailable. Replacement of the basic cyclohexyl methyl amine P1 in (S)-17 with the neutral p-chlorophenyltetrazole P1 resulted in the discovery of (S)-24 which showed a significant improvement in oral bioavailability compared to the previously reported imidazole (S)-23. Additional improvements in FXIa binding affinity, while maintaining oral bioavailability, was achieved by replacing the pyridine scaffold with either a regioisomeric pyridine or pyrimidine ring system.

Novel phenylalanine derived diamides as Factor XIa inhibitors.

The synthesis, structural activity relationships (SAR), and selectivity profile of a potent series of phenylalanine diamide FXIa inhibitors will be discussed. Exploration of P1 prime and P2 prime groups led to the discovery of compounds with high FXIa affinity, good potency in our clotting assay (aPPT), and high selectivity against a panel of relevant serine proteases as exemplified by compound 21. Compound 21 demonstrated good in vivo efficacy (EC50=2.8µM) in the rabbit electrically induced carotid arterial thrombosis model (ECAT).

In vitro, antithrombotic and bleeding time studies of BMS-654457, a small-molecule, reversible and direct inhibitor of factor XIa.

BMS-654457 ((+) 3'-(6-carbamimidoyl-4-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-quinolin-2-yl)-4-carbamoyl-5'-(3-methyl-butyrylamino)-biphenyl-2-carboxylic acid) is a small-molecule factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor. We evaluated the in vitro properties of BMS-654457 and its in vivo activities in rabbit models of electrolytic-induced carotid arterial thrombosis and cuticle bleeding time (BT). Kinetic studies conducted in vitro with a chromogenic substrate demonstrated that BMS-654457 is a reversible and competitive inhibitor for FXIa. BMS-654457 increased activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) without changing prothrombin time. It was equipotent in prolonging the plasma aPTT in human and rabbit, and less potent in rat and dog. It did not alter platelet aggregation to ADP, arachidonic acid and collagen. In vivo, BMS-654457 or vehicle was given IV prior to initiation of thrombosis or cuticle transection. Preservation of integrated carotid blood flow over 90 min (iCBF, % control) was used as a marker of antithrombotic efficacy. BMS-654457 at 0.37 mg/kg + 0.27 mg/kg/h produced almost 90 % preservation of iCBF compared to its vehicle (87 ± 10 and 16 ± 3 %, respectively, n = 6 per group) and increased BT by 1.2 ± 0.04-fold (P < 0.05). At a higher dose (1.1 mg/kg + 0.8 mg/kg/h), BMS-654457 increased BT by 1.33 ± 0.08-fold. This compares favorably to equivalent antithrombotic doses of reference anticoagulants (warfarin and dabigatran) and antiplatelet agents (clopidogrel and prasugrel) which produced four- to six-fold BT increases in the same model. In summary, BMS-654457 was effective in the prevention of arterial thrombosis in rabbits with limited effects on BT. This study supports inhibition of FXIa, with a small-molecule, reversible and direct inhibitor as a promising antithrombotic therapy with a wide therapeutic window.

Discovery of a Potent Parenterally Administered Factor XIa Inhibitor with Hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one as the P2' Moiety.

Structure-activity relationship optimization of phenylalanine P1' and P2' regions with a phenylimidazole core resulted in a series of potent FXIa inhibitors. Introducing 4-hydroxyquinolin-2-one as the P2' group enhanced FXIa affinity and metabolic stability. Incorporation of an N-methyl piperazine amide group to replace the phenylalanine improved both FXIa potency and aqueous solubility. Combination of the optimization led to the discovery of FXIa inhibitor 13 with a FXIa K i of 0.04 nM and an aPTT EC2x of 1.0 µM. Dose-dependent efficacy (EC50 of 0.53 µM) was achieved in the rabbit ECAT model with minimal bleeding time prolongation.

Structure-based design of inhibitors of coagulation factor XIa with novel P1 moieties.

Compound 2 was previously identified as a potent inhibitor of factor XIa lacking oral bioavailability. A structure-based approach was used to design analogs of 2 with novel P1 moieties with good selectivity profiles and oral bioavailability. Further optimization of the P1 group led to the identification of a 4-chlorophenyltetrazole P1 analog, which when combined with further modifications to the linker and P2' group provided compound 32 with FXIa Ki=6.7 nM and modest oral exposure in dogs.

Pyridine and pyridinone-based factor XIa inhibitors.

The structure-activity relationships (SAR) of six-membered ring replacements for the imidazole ring scaffold is described. This work led to the discovery of the potent and selective pyridine (S)-23 and pyridinone (±)-24 factor XIa inhibitors. SAR and X-ray crystal structure data highlight the key differences between imidazole and six-membered ring analogs.

Phenylimidazoles as potent and selective inhibitors of coagulation factor XIa with in vivo antithrombotic activity.

Novel inhibitors of FXIa containing an (S)-2-phenyl-1-(4-phenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)ethanamine core have been optimized to provide compound 16b, a potent, reversible inhibitor of FXIa (Ki = 0.3 nM) having in vivo antithrombotic efficacy in the rabbit AV-shunt thrombosis model (ID50 = 0.6 mg/kg + 1 mg kg(-1) h(-1)). Initial analog selection was informed by molecular modeling using compounds 11a and 11h overlaid onto the X-ray crystal structure of tetrahydroquinoline 3 complexed to FXIa. Further optimization was achieved by specific modifications derived from careful analysis of the X-ray crystal structure of the FXIa/11h complex. Compound 16b was well tolerated and enabled extensive pharmacologic evaluation of the FXIa mechanism up to the ID90 for thrombus inhibition.

Tetrahydroquinoline derivatives as potent and selective factor XIa inhibitors.

Antithrombotic agents that are inhibitors of factor XIa (FXIa) have the potential to demonstrate robust efficacy with a low bleeding risk profile. Herein, we describe a series of tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) derivatives as FXIa inhibitors. Compound 1 was identified as a potent and selective tool compound for proof of concept studies. It exhibited excellent antithrombotic efficacy in rabbit thrombosis models and did not prolong bleeding times. This demonstrates proof of concept for the FXIa mechanism in animal models with a reversible, small molecule inhibitor.

Inhibition of factor XIa as a new approach to anticoagulation.

The dose-limiting issue with available anticoagulant therapies is bleeding. Is there an approach that could provide antithrombotic protection with reduced bleeding? One hypothesis is that targeting proteases upstream from the common pathway provides a reduction in thrombin sufficient to impede occlusive thrombosis yet allows enough thrombin generation to support hemostasis. The impairment of intrinsic coagulation by selective inhibition of factor XI (FXI) leaves the extrinsic and common pathways of coagulation intact, making FXI a drug target. This concept is supported by the observation that human deficiency in FXI results in a mild bleeding disorder compared with other coagulation factor deficiencies, and that elevated levels of FXI are a risk factor for thromboembolic disease. Moreover, FXI knockout mice have reduced thrombosis with little effect on hemostasis. The results from genetic models have been supported by studies using neutralizing antibodies, peptide inhibitors, and small-molecule inhibitors. These agents impede thrombosis without affecting bleeding time in a variety of experimental animals, including primates. Together, these data strongly support FXIa inhibition as a viable method to increase the ratio of benefit to risk in an antithrombotic drug.

Phenyltriazolinones as potent factor Xa inhibitors.

We have discovered that phenyltriazolinone is a novel and potent P1 moiety for coagulation factor Xa. X-ray structures of the inhibitors with a phenyltriazolinone in the P1 position revealed that the side chain of Asp189 has reoriented resulting in a novel S1 binding pocket which is larger in size to accommodate the phenyltriazolinone P1 substrate.