Design, synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of N-(3-carbamoyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1,3-oxazole-4-carboxamide derivatives as interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 inhibitors with reduced potential for cytochrome P450 1A2 induction.

Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) is a critical molecule in Toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 receptor signaling and an attractive therapeutic target for a wide range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases as well as cancers. In our search for novel IRAK4 inhibitors, we conducted structural modification of a thiazolecarboxamide derivative 1, a lead compound derived from high-throughput screening hits, to elucidate structure-activity relationship and improve drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) properties. First, conversion of the thiazole ring of 1 to an oxazole ring along with introduction of a methyl group at the 2-position of the pyridine ring aimed at reducing cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibition were conducted to afford 16.

Patch esophagoplasty using an in-body-tissue-engineered collagenous connective tissue membrane.

Aim: Although many approaches to esophageal replacement have been investigated, these efforts have thus far only met limited success. In-body-tissue-engineered connective tissue tubes have been reported to be effective as vascular replacement grafts. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of an In-body-tissue-engineered collagenous connective tissue membrane, "Biosheet", as a novel esophageal scaffold in a beagle model.

Antinociceptive effects of AS1892802, a novel Rho kinase inhibitor, in rat models of inflammatory and noninflammatory arthritis.

Rho kinase (ROCK) is involved in various physiological functions, including cell motility, vasoconstriction, and neurite extension. Although a functional role of ROCK in nociception in the central nervous tissue has been reported in neuropathy, the peripheral function of this protein in hyperalgesia is not known. In this study, antinociceptive effects of AS1892802 [1-[(1S)-2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl]-3-[4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl]urea], a novel and highly selective ROCK inhibitor, were investigated in two rat models of arthritis.