Publications by authors named "Hans Peter Maerki"

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a family of nuclear hormone receptors that control the expression of genes involved in a variety of physiologic processes, through heterodimerization with retinoid X receptor and complex formation with various cofactors. Drugs or treatment regimens that combine the beneficial effects of PPARα and γ agonism present an attractive therapeutic strategy to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Aleglitazar is a dual PPARα/γ agonist currently in phase III clinical development for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who recently experienced an acute coronary event.

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Nicotinamides of benzyl-substituted 4-aminopiperidines and their seven-membered analogs of generic structure 2 and 2' have been discovered as potent and selective SST5 antagonists. The activity (K(i)) ranges from 2.4 to 436 nM.

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SAR studies of a recently described SST5R selective benzoxazole piperidine lead series are described with particular focus on the substitution pattern on the benzyl and benzoxazole side-chains. Introduction of a second meta substituent at the benzyl unit significantly lowers residual hH1 activity and insertion of substituents onto the benzoxazole periphery entirely removes remaining h5-HT2B activity. Compounds with single digit nM activity, functional antagonism and favorable physicochemical properties endowed with a good pharmacokinetic profile in rats are described which should become valuable tools for exploring the pharmacological role of the SST5 receptor in vivo.

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Background: Somatostatin regulates numerous endocrine processes, including glucose homeostasis. The contribution and effects of the 5 somatostatin receptors are still unclear, in part due to the lack of suitable subtype specific receptor antagonists. We explored the effects of two novel, non-peptidic, orally bioavailable somatostatin receptor subtype 5 antagonists named Compound A and Compound B on glycemia in animal models of type 2 diabetes after an initial in vitro characterization.

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