A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model for cardiovascular safety assessment of R1551.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships are crucial in understanding a drug's arrhythmogenic potential. Models assist to quantitatively relate parent and metabolite concentrations to adverse electrocardiographic effects, including an apparent delay between effect and circulating parent species concentration. Here, we used an effect compartment model to investigate PR and QRS prolongation previously observed in preclinical studies with the NK1-NK3 antagonist R1551. METHOD: Using a cross-over design, beagle dogs received a single oral dose of R1551 (0-100mg/kg), and cynomolgus monkeys received oral doses of 0-30 mg/kg once daily for 5 days. PR and QRS intervals and heart rate were measured by telemetry, for ≥ 24h after each dose in dogs, and on treatment days 1, 3, and 5 in monkeys. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by fitting a two-compartment model to the data. For each species, a linear effect compartment model was used to relate PR and QRS intervals to effect compartment concentrations. RESULTS: The effect compartment model provided a good fit to the observed data for both ECG parameters in dogs, and for QRS interval in monkeys (PR(0)=95.1 ms ± 2.74 and 64.9 ms ± 1.46, QRS(0)=42.5 ms ± 1.24 and 46.5 ms ± 1.11 in dog and monkey, respectively). For PR interval in monkeys, the fit was improved by adding a placebo effect compartment to the linear model. R1551 effects on intervals in dogs suggested the presence of responder and non-responder sub-populations. In monkeys, only the highest R1551 dose prolonged PR intervals. Effect slope factors were similar between dog and monkey for both intervals (S(PR)=0.00930 ms mg(-1)kg(-1)l(-1) ± 0.00133 in dog and 0.00934 ms mg(-1)kg(-1)l(-1) ± 0.00141 in monkey; S(QRS)=0.00274 ms mg(-1)kg(-1)l(-1) ± 0.00101 in dog and 0.00200 ms mg(-1)kg(-1)l(-1) ± 0.000552 in monkey). DISCUSSION: Our results indicate a non-linear relationship between R1551 plasma kinetics and electrophysiological effects and suggest that the parent was not responsible for the observed ECG effects. In addition, the population based approach allows exploitation of sparse PK data in dog and monkey, analysis throughout the complete effect time course, and assessment of inter-individual variability, all in a single comprehensive model.

Rational design of novel pyrrolidine derivatives as orally active neurokinin-3 receptor antagonists.

The rational design of a novel series of pyrrolidine derivatives as neurokinin-3 receptor antagonists is reported starting from a selective neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist. Typical representatives in this series showed in vivo efficacy after oral administration in a NK3 mediated functional assay. This series of NK3 antagonists shows promise to deliver a novel antipsychotic.

5-hydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid amides: novel histamine-3 receptor inverse agonists for the treatment of obesity.

Obesity is a major risk factor in the development of conditions such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and cancer. Several pieces of evidence across different species, including primates, underscore the implication of the histamine 3 receptor (H(3)R) in the regulation of food intake and body weight and the potential therapeutic effect of H(3)R inverse agonists. A pharmacophore model, based on public information and validated by previous investigations, was used to design several potential scaffolds. Out of these scaffolds, the 5-hydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid amide appeared to be of great potential as a novel series of H(3)R inverse agonist. Extensive structure-activity relationships revealed the interconnectivity of microsomal clearance and hERG (human ether-a-go-go-related gene) affinity with lipophilicity, artificial membrane permeation, and basicity. This effort led to the identification of compounds reversing the (R)-alpha-methylhistamine-induced water intake increase in Wistar rats and, further, reducing food intake in diet-induced obese Sprague-Dawley rats. Of these, the biochemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic characteristics of (4,4-difluoropiperidin-1-yl)[1-isopropyl-5-(1-isopropylpiperidin-4-yloxy)-1H-indol-2-yl]methanone 36 are detailed.