Oxazolidinones as novel human CCR8 antagonists.

High-throughput screening of the corporate compound collection led to the discovery of a novel series of N-substituted-5-aryl-oxazolidinones as potent human CCR8 antagonists. The synthesis, structure-activity relationships, and optimization of the series that led to the identification of SB-649701 (1a), are described.

Dissociated nonsteroidal glucocorticoid receptor modulators; discovery of the agonist trigger in a tetrahydronaphthalene-benzoxazine series.

The tetrahydronaphthalene-benzoxazine glucocorticoid receptor (GR) partial agonist 4b was optimized to produce potent full agonists of GR. Aromatic ring substitution of the tetrahydronaphthalene leads to weak GR antagonists. Discovery of an "agonist trigger" substituent on the saturated ring of the tetrahydronaphthalene leads to increased potency and efficacious GR agonism.

Design and synthesis of new nonsteroidal glucocorticoid modulators through application of an "agreement docking" method.

Structurally related glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binders were docked into the GR active site to select the binding mode closest to the true docking mode. This process, termed an "agreement docking method", led to the design of tetrahydronaphthalene 9. The method was validated by the syntheses of 9 and related analogues, which are potent binders of GR.