A Highly Selective Hydantoin Inhibitor of Aggrecanase-1 and Aggrecanase-2 with a Low Projected Human Dose.

Aggrecanase-1 and -2 (ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5) are zinc metalloproteases involved in the degradation of aggrecan in cartilage. Inhibitors could provide a means of altering the progression of osteoarthritis. We report the identification of 7 which had good oral pharmacokinetics in rats and showed efficacy in a rat chemical model of osteoarthritis.

Translational pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis in the pharmaceutical industry: an IQ Consortium PK-PD Discussion Group perspective.

With inadequate efficacy being the primary cause for the attrition of drug candidates in clinical development, the need to better predict clinical efficacy earlier in the drug development process has increased in importance in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we review current applications of translational pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modeling of preclinical data in the pharmaceutical industry, including best practices. Preclinical translational PK-PD modeling has been used in many therapeutic areas and has been impactful to drug development.

Discovery and characterization of [(cyclopentyl)ethyl]benzoic acid inhibitors of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1.

We describe a novel class of acidic mPGES-1 inhibitors with nanomolar enzymatic and human whole blood (HWB) potency. Rational design in conjunction with structure-based design led initially to the identification of anthranilic acid 5, an mPGES-1 inhibitor with micromolar HWB potency. Structural modifications of 5 improved HWB potency by over 1000×, reduced CYP2C9 single point inhibition, and improved rat clearance, which led to the selection of [(cyclopentyl)ethyl]benzoic acid compound 16 for clinical studies.

Novel Autotaxin Inhibitors for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis Pain: Lead Optimization via Structure-Based Drug Design.

In an effort to develop a novel therapeutic agent aimed at addressing the unmet need of patients with osteoarthritis pain, we set out to develop an inhibitor for autotaxin with excellent potency and physical properties to allow for the clinical investigation of autotaxin-induced nociceptive and neuropathic pain. An initial hit identification campaign led to an aminopyrimidine series with an autotaxin IC50 of 500 nM. X-ray crystallography enabled the optimization to a lead compound that demonstrated favorable potency (IC50 = 2 nM), PK properties, and a robust PK/PD relationship.

Use of Osmotic Pumps to Establish the Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Relationship and Define Desirable Human Performance Characteristics for Aggrecanase Inhibitors.

The development of reliable relationships between in vivo target engagement, pharmacodynamic activity, and efficacy in chronic disease models is beneficial for enabling hypothesis-driven drug discovery and facilitating the development of patient-focused candidate selection criteria. Toward those ends, osmotic infusion pumps can be useful for overcoming limitations in the PK properties of proof-of-concept (POC) compounds to accelerate the development of such relationships. In this report, we describe the application of this strategy to the development of hydantoin-derived aggrecanase inhibitors (eg, 3) for the treatment of osteoarthiritis (OA).

Preclinical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling and simulation in the pharmaceutical industry: an IQ consortium survey examining the current landscape.

The application of modeling and simulation techniques is increasingly common in preclinical stages of the drug discovery and development process. A survey focusing on preclinical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) analysis was conducted across pharmaceutical companies that are members of the International Consortium for Quality and Innovation in Pharmaceutical Development. Based on survey responses, ~68% of companies use preclinical PK/PD analysis in all therapeutic areas indicating its broad application.

Discovery of a novel series of orally active nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor antagonists based on a dihydrospiro(piperidine-4,7'-thieno[2,3-c]pyran) scaffold.

Nociceptin/OFQ (N/OFQ) is a 17 amino acid peptide that is the endogenous ligand for the ORL1/NOP receptor. Nociceptin appears to regulate a host of physiological functions such as biological reactions to stress, anxiety, mood, and drug abuse, in addition to feeding behaviors. To develop tools to study the function of nociceptin and NOP receptor, our research effort sought to identify orally available NOP antagonists.

Development of LC-MS/MS-based receptor occupancy tracers and positron emission tomography radioligands for the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor.

Currently, a lack of sufficient tools has limited the understanding of the relationship between neuropsychiatric disorders and the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptor. Herein, we describe the discovery and development of an antagonist NOP receptor occupancy (RO) tracer and a novel positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand suitable to probe the NOP receptor in human clinical studies. A thorough structure-activity relationship (SAR) around the high-affinity 3-(2'-fluoro-4',5'-dihydrospiro[piperidine-4,7'-thieno[2,3-c]pyran]-1-yl)-2-(2-halobenzyl)-N-alkylpropanamide scaffold identified a series of subnanomolar, highly selective NOP antagonists.

In silico, in vitro and in situ models to assess interplay between CYP3A and P-gp.

The bioavailability, fraction of dose that reaches systemic circulation, of orally administered drugs is often limited by both physical barriers of the intestine (e.g., unstirred-water and mucosal layers, epithelial tight junctions) as well as biochemical barriers such as cytochromes P450 (CYP) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp).

Absorption barriers in the rat intestinal mucosa: 2. Application of physiologically based mathematical models to quantify mechanisms of drug permeation and metabolism.

The absorption of drug molecules is often investigated using in vitro or in situ models of the intestinal mucosa; however, few studies have quantified the kinetics that limit absorption. The objective of this study was to quantify kinetic rates of rat intestinal absorption, metabolism, and efflux using nonlinear mixed effects modeling. A multicompartment model accurately described the absorption and distribution of atenolol and verapamil as well as the metabolism of verapamil and distribution of the metabolite, norverapamil.

Absorption barriers in the rat intestinal mucosa: 1. Application of an in situ perfusion model to simultaneously assess drug permeation and metabolism.

Modulation of intestinal drug absorption barriers can have a profound impact on the bioavailability of orally administered compounds. With its commonality of use as an absorption model, it is valuable to assess the role of such barriers in the rat intestinal mucosa. In the present study, atenolol and verapamil were concomitantly delivered in the in situ perfused rat intestine in the presence or absence of inhibitors to simultaneously assess the function and modulation of passive diffusion barriers, cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A metabolism and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux.

Absorption barriers in the rat intestinal mucosa. 3: Effects of polyethoxylated solubilizing agents on drug permeation and metabolism.

Modern drug discovery chemical libraries contain a large number of molecular entities exhibiting low aqueous solubility, often necessitating the inclusion of solubilizing agents in preclinical models of absorption or metabolism. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of several commonly used polyethoxylated solubilizing agents on P450 (CYP) 3A and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the rat intestinal mucosa. Atenolol and verapamil were administered in the in situ perfused rat intestine or incubated with rat intestinal microsomes in the presence or absence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 (2% or 20%, v/v) D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol-1000 succinate (TPGS; 100 microg/mL), Cremophor EL (47.

The effect of fenbuconazole on cell proliferation and enzyme induction in the liver of female CD1 mice.

Fenbuconazole, a triazole fungicide, has been associated with an increase in the incidence of liver adenomas in female mice following long-term dietary exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the mode of action for liver tumor formation by fenbuconazole is similar to that of phenobarbital. Treatment of CD1 mice with 0, 20, 60, 180 or 1300 ppm fenbuconazole for up to 4 weeks caused a dose-dependent increase in liver weight that was associated with centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy, cytoplasmic eosinophilia and panlobular hepatocellular vacuolation, as well as an initial increase in the cell proliferation labeling index.

The effects of gender, age, ethnicity, and liver cirrhosis on cytochrome P450 enzyme activity in human liver microsomes and inducibility in cultured human hepatocytes.

We have measured cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity in nearly 150 samples of human liver microsomes and 64 samples of cryopreserved human hepatocytes, and we have performed induction studies in over 90 preparations of cultured human hepatocytes. We have analyzed these data to examine whether the expression of CYP enzyme activity in liver microsomes and isolated hepatocytes or the inducibility of CYP enzymes in cultured hepatocytes is influenced by the gender, age, or ethnicity of the donor (the latter being limited to Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics due to a paucity of livers from Asian donors). In human liver microsomes, there were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.

Effects of prototypical microsomal enzyme inducers on cytochrome P450 expression in cultured human hepatocytes.

Cultured human hepatocytes are a valuable in vitro system for evaluating new molecular entities as inducers of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. The present study summarizes data obtained from 62 preparations of cultured human hepatocytes that were treated with vehicles (saline or dimethylsulfoxide, 0.1%), beta-naphthoflavone (33 microM), phenobarbital (100 or 250 microM), isoniazid (100 microM) and/or rifampin (20 or 50 microM), and examined for the expression of P450 enzymes based on microsomal activity toward marker substrates, or in the case of CYP2C8, the level of immunoreactive protein.