Development of orally bioavailable bicyclic pyrazolones as inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha production.

2-Aryl-3-pyrimidinyl based tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors, which contain a novel bicyclic pyrazolone core, are described. Many showed low-nanomolar activity against lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production in monocytic cells. Secondary screening data are presented for the pyrimidinyl bicyclic pyrazolones.