Discovery of [1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-]pyridine Derivatives as Potent and Orally Bioavailable RORγt Inverse Agonists.

The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor γt (RORγt), a promising therapeutic target, is a major transcription factor of genes related to psoriasis pathogenesis such as interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-22, and IL-23R. On the basis of the X-ray cocrystal structure of RORγt with , an analogue of the known piperazine RORγt inverse agonist , triazolopyridine derivatives of were designed and synthesized, and analogue was found to be a potent RORγt inverse agonist. Structure-activity relationship studies on , focusing on the treatment of its metabolically unstable cyclopentyl ring and the central piperazine core, led to a novel analogue, namely, 6-methyl--(7-methyl-8-(((2,4)-2-methyl-1-(4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)butanoyl)piperidin-4-yl)oxy)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-]pyridin-6-yl)nicotinamide (), which exhibited strong RORγt inhibitory activity and a favorable pharmacokinetic profile.