Christopher W. Ajello

Potent, Orally Bioavailable Delta Opioid Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Pain : Discovery of N,N-Diethyl-4-(5-hydroxyspiro-[chromene-2,4'-piperidine]-4-yl)benzamide (ADL5859)

Selective delta opioid receptor agonists are promising potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of various types of pain conditions. A spirocyclic derivative was identified as a promising hit through screening. Subsequent lead optimization identified compound 20 (ADL5859) as a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable delta agonist. Compound 20 was selected as a clinical candidate for the treatment of pain.

Spirocyclic Delta Opioid Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Pain: Discovery of N,N-Diethyl-3-hydroxy-4-(spiro[chromene-2,4'-piperidine]-4-yl) Benzamide (ADL5747)

Selective, nonpeptidic delta opioid receptor agonists have been the subject of great interest as potential novel analgesic agents. The discoveries of BW373U86 (1) and SNC80 (2) contributed to the rapid expansion of research in this field. However, poor drug-like properties and low therapeutic indices have prevented clinical evaluation of these agents. Doses of 1 and 2 similar to those required for analgesic activity produce convulsions in rodents and nonhuman primates. Recently, we described a novel series of potent, selective, and orally bioavailable delta opioid receptor agonists. The lead derivative, ADL5859 (4), is currently in phase II proof-of-concept studies for the management of pain. Further structure activity relationship exploration has led to the discovery of ADL5747 (36), which is approximately 50-fold more potent than 4 in an animal model of inflammatory pain. On the basis of its favorable efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic profile, 36 was selected as a clinical candidate for the treatment of pain.

Nascent structure-activity relationship study of a diastereomeric series of kappa opioid receptor antagonists derived from CJ-15,208.

Cyclic tetrapeptide c[Phe-pro-Phe-trp] 2, a diastereomer of CJ-15,208 (1), was identified as a potent dual kappa/mu opioid receptor antagonist devoid of delta opioid receptor affinity against cloned human receptors: K(i) (2)=3.8nM (kappa), 30nM (mu); IC(50) ([(35)S]GTPgammaS binding)=140nM (kappa), 21nM (mu). The d-tryptophan residue rendered 2 ca. eightfold and fourfold more potent at kappa and mu, respectively, than the corresponding l-configured tryptophan in the natural product 1. Phe analogs 3-10, designed to probe the effect of substituents on receptor affinity and selectivity, possessed K(i) values ranging from 14 to 220nM against the kappa opioid receptor with mu/kappa ratios of 0.45-3.0. An alanine scan of 2 yielded c[Ala-pro-Phe-trp] 12, an analog equipotent to 2. Agents 2 and 12 were pure antagonists in vitro devoid of agonist activity. Ac-pro-Phe-trp-Phe-NH(2)16 and Ac-Phe-trp-Phe-pro-NH(2)17 two of the eight possible acyclic peptides derived from 1 and 2, were selective, modestly potent mu ligands: K(i) (16)=340nM (mu); K(i) (17)=360nM (mu).

CB2 selective sulfamoyl benzamides: optimization of the amide functionality.

Previous research within our laboratories identified sulfamoyl benzamides as novel cannabinoid receptor ligands. Optimization of the amide linkage led to the reverse amide 40. The compound exhibited robust antiallodynic activity in a rodent pain model when administered intraperitoneally. Efficacy after oral administration was observed only when ABT, a cytochrome P450 suicide inhibitor, was coadministered.

Novel sulfamoyl benzamides as selective CB2 agonists with improved in vitro metabolic stability

A lead optimization campaign in our previously reported sulfamoyl benzamide class of CB(2) agonists was conducted to improve the in vitro metabolic stability profile in this series while retaining high potency and selectivity for the CB(2) receptor. From this study, compound 14, N-(3,4-dimethyl-5-(morpholinosulfonyl)phenyl)-2,2-dimethylbutanamide, was identified as a potent and selective CB(2) agonist exhibiting moderate in vitro metabolic stability and oral bioavailability. Compound 14 demonstrated in vivo efficacy in a rat model of post-surgical pain.

Design and Synthesis of Imidazopyrimidine Derivatives as Potent iNOS Dimerization Inhibitors

A series of imidazopyrimidine derivatives with the general formula I was synthesized and identified as potent inhibitors of iNOS dimer formation, a prerequisite for proper functioning of the enzyme. Stille and Negishi coupling reactions were used as key steps to form the carbon-carbon bond connecting the imidazopyrimidine core to the central cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl and phenyl ring templates.