N-Pyridyl and Pyrimidine Benzamides as KCNQ2/Q3 Potassium Channel Openers for the Treatment of Epilepsy.

A series of N-pyridyl benzamide KCNQ2/Q3 potassium channel openers were identified and found to be active in animal models of epilepsy and pain. The best compound 12 [ICA-027243, N-(6-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-3,4-difluoro-benzamide] has an EC50 of 0.38 μM and is selective for KCNQ2/Q3 channels.

Design, syntheses, and SAR of 2,8-diazaspiro[4.5]decanones as T-type calcium channel antagonists.

It was hypothesized that an appropriately substituted 2,8-diazaspiro[4.5]decan-1-one could effectively approximate a 5-feature T-type pharmacophore model published in the literature. Compounds were designed and synthesized to test our hypothesis and were found to be potent T-type calcium channel inhibitors with modest selectivity over L-type calcium channels.

Novel KCNQ2/Q3 agonists as potential therapeutics for epilepsy and neuropathic pain.

Current drugs for the treatment of seizure disorders, although effective in many patients, still suffer from a number of failures and are not effective in some forms of resistant epilepsies. Historically, many of these drugs have multiple mechanisms of action including calcium and sodium channel blockade as well as GABAergic activity and thus a number of associated side effects. Modulation of the M-current through opening of KCNQ channels has been proposed as a way to attenuate neuroexcitability and have a therapeutic benefit for the treatment of seizure disorders.