Design, synthesis, and evaluation of liver-specific gemcitabine prodrugs for potential treatment of hepatitis C virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Many successful anti-viral and anti-cancer drugs are nucleoside analogs, which disrupt RNA and/or DNA synthesis. Here, we present liver-specific prodrugs of the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine (2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma. The prodrugs were synthesized by introducing aromatic functional moieties to the cytosine 4-NH group of gemcitabine via amide bonds.

Discovery of liver-directed glucokinase activator having anti-hyperglycemic effect without hypoglycemia.

Glucokinase activators (GKAs) are among the emerging drug candidates for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Despite effective blood glucose lowering in clinical trials, many pan-GKAs "acting both in pancreas and liver" have been discontinued from clinical development mainly because of their potential to cause hypoglycemia. Pan-GKAs over sensitize pancreatic GK, resulting in insulin secretion even at sub-normoglycemic level which might be a possible explanation for hypoglycemia.

Synthesis of 1-deoxy-1-hydroxymethyl- and 1-deoxy-1-epi-hydroxymethyl castanospermine as new potential immunomodulating agents.

Two new C-1 epimeric hydroxymethyl castanospermine congeners 2a and 2b, synthesized by stereocontrolled intramolecular double reductive amination of D-glucose derived beta-keto ester as a key step, showed impressive immuno-potentiating property. The bioactivity was mediated through up-regulation of T(H1)/T(H2) cytokine ratio. The finding suggested that immunmodulatory activity of polyhydroxylated indolizidine alkaloids can be tuned by minor structural/stereochemical alterations.