Catherine C.K. Yuan

Discovery of a Novel and Potent Class of FabI-Directed Antibacterial Agents

ABSTRACT Bacterial enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase (FabI) catalyzes the final step in each elongation cycle of bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis and is an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents. High-throughput screening of the Staphylococcus aureus FabI enzyme identified a novel, weak inhibitor with no detectable antibacterial activity against S. aureus. Iterative medicinal chemistry and X-ray crystal structure-based design led to the identification of compound 4 [(E)-N-methyl-N-(2-methyl-1H-indol-3-ylmethyl)-3-(7-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,8-naphthyridin-3-yl)acrylamide], which is 350-fold more potent than the original lead compound obtained by high-throughput screening in the FabI inhibition assay. Compound 4 has exquisite antistaphylococci activity, achieving MICs at which 90% of isolates are inhibited more than 500 times lower than those of nine currently available antibiotics against a panel of multidrug-resistant strains of S. aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Furthermore, compound 4 exhibits excellent in vivo efficacy in an S. aureus infection model in rats. Biochemical and genetic approaches have confirmed that the mode of antibacterial action of compound 4 and related compounds is via inhibition of FabI. Compound 4 also exhibits weak FabK inhibitory activity, which may explain its antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis, which depend on FabK and both FabK and FabI, respectively, for their enoyl-ACP reductase function. These results show that compound 4 is representative of a new, totally synthetic series of antibacterial agents that has the potential to provide novel alternatives for the treatment of S. aureus infections that are resistant to our present armory of antibiotics.

1,4-Disubstituted imidazoles are potential antibacterial agents functioning as inhibitors of enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI)

1,4-Disubstituted imidazole inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI) have been identified. Crystal structure data shows the inhibitor 1 bound in the enzyme active site of E. coli FabI.

Discovery of an imidazopyridine-containing 1,4-benzodiazepine nonpeptide vitronectin receptor (αvβ3) antagonist with efficacy in a restenosis model

In the 3-oxo-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetic acid series of vitronectin receptor (αvβ3) antagonists, a compound containing an imidazopyridine arginine mimetic was discovered which had sufficient potency and iv pharmacokinetics for demonstration of efficacy in a rat restenosis model.

Orally bioavailable nonpeptide vitronectin receptor antagonists containing 2-aminopyridine arginine mimetics

A peptide RGD analog containing a novel 2-aminopyridine arginine mimetic was discovered to have good affinity and selectivity for the vitronectin receptor. Incorporation of the 2-aminopyridine arginine mimetic into the 3-oxo-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetic acid integrin antagonist series led to novel and potent nonpeptide vitronectin receptor antagonists with promising levels of oral bioavailability.

Benzimidazole derivatives as arginine mimetics in 1,4-benzodiazepine nonpeptide vitronectin receptor (αvβ3) antagonists

In a 3-oxo-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetic acid series of vitronectin receptor (αvβ3) antagonists containing a benzimidazole as a novel arginine mimetic, we examined the effects of benzimidazole modifications and amide substitutions on both activity and pharmacokinetics.

An alternate enantiospecific synthesis of methyl (S)-7-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-4-methyl-3-oxo-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetate

Abstract An alternate enantiospecific synthesis of methyl (S)-7-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-4-methyl-3-oxo-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetate ( 5 ) is reported. The key step, which involves an intermolecular displacement of the activated aryl fluoride ( 9 ) by L-aspartic acid β-methyl ester, proceeds without racemization.

Phenylbutyrates as potent, orally bioavailable vitronectin receptor (integrin αvβ3) antagonists

In our continuing efforts to identify small molecule vitronectin receptor antagonists, we have discovered a series of phenylbutyrate derivatives, exemplified by 16, which have good potency and excellent oral bioavailability (approximately 100% in rats). This new series is derived conceptually from opening of the seven-membered ring of SB-265123.

Structure-activity relationships in 3-oxo-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetic acid GPIIb/IIIa antagonists. The 2-benzazepine series

Abstract In an investigation of the contribution of N-1 to the binding, antiaggregatory, and oral activity in 3-oxo-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-acetic acid based GPIIb/IIIa antagonists, a series of 2-benzazepine analogs, wherein N-1 of the 1,4-benzodiazepine nucleus has been replaced by a methylene group, was examined.

Development of potent and selective small-molecule human Urotensin-II antagonists.

This work describes the development of potent and selective human Urotensin-II receptor antagonists starting from lead compound 1, (3,4-dichlorophenyl)methyl{2-oxo-2-[3-phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinylmethyl)-1-piperidinyl]ethyl}amine. Several problems relating to oral bioavailability, cytochrome P450 inhibition, and off-target activity at the kappa opioid receptor and cardiac sodium channel were addressed during lead development. hUT binding affinity relative to compound 1 was improved by more than 40-fold in some analogs, and a structural modification was identified which significantly attenuated both off-target activities.

Potent and selective small-molecule human urotensin-II antagonists with improved pharmacokinetic profiles.

Lead compound 1 was successfully redesigned to provide compounds with improved pharmacokinetic profiles for this series of human urotensin-II antagonists. Replacement of the 2-pyrrolidinylmethyl-3-phenyl-piperidine core of 1 with a substituted N-methyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)ethanamine core as in compound 7 resulted in compounds with improved oral bioavailability in rats. The relationship between stereochemistry and selectivity for hUT over the kappa-opioid receptor was also explored.