Stefan Schunk

Cebranopadol: a Novel Potent Analgesic Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ Peptide and Opioid Receptor Agonist

Cebranopadol (trans-6′-fluoro-4′,9′-dihydro-N,N-dimethyl-4-phenyl-spiro[cyclohexane-1,1′(3′H)-pyrano[3,4-b]indol]-4-amine) is a novel analgesic nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) and opioid receptor agonist [Ki (nM)/EC50 (nM)/relative efficacy (%): human NOP receptor 0.9/13.0/89; human mu-opioid peptide (MOP) receptor 0.7/1.2/104; human kappa-opioid peptide receptor 2.6/17/67; human delta-opioid peptide receptor 18/110/105]. Cebranopadol exhibits highly potent and efficacious antinociceptive and antihypersensitive effects in several rat models of acute and chronic pain (tail-flick, rheumatoid arthritis, bone cancer, spinal nerve ligation, diabetic neuropathy) with ED50 values of 0.5−5.6 µg/kg after intravenous and 25.1 µg/kg after oral administration. In comparison with selective MOP receptor agonists, cebranopadol was more potent in models of chronic neuropathic than acute nociceptive pain. Cebranopadol’s duration of action is long (up to 7 hours after intravenous 12 µg/kg; >9 hours after oral 55 µg/kg in the rat tail-flick test). The antihypersensitive activity of cebranopadol in the spinal nerve ligation model was partially reversed by pretreatment with the selective NOP receptor antagonist J-113397[1-[(3R,4R)-1-cyclooctylmethyl-3-hydroxymethyl-4-piperidyl]-3-ethyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazol-2-one] or the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone, indicating that both NOP and opioid receptor agonism are involved in this activity. Development of analgesic tolerance in the chronic constriction injury model was clearly delayed compared with that from an equianalgesic dose of morphine (complete tolerance on day 26 versus day 11, respectively). Unlike morphine, cebranopadol did not disrupt motor coordination and respiration at doses within and exceeding the analgesic dose range. Cebranopadol, by its combination of agonism at NOP and opioid receptors, affords highly potent and efficacious analgesia in various pain models with a favorable side effect profile.

Discovery of Spiro[cyclohexane-dihydropyrano[3,4-b]indole]-amines as Potent NOP and Opioid Receptor Agonists

We report the discovery of spiro[cyclohexane-pyrano[3,4-b]indole]-amines, as functional nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) and opioid receptor agonists with strong efficacy in preclinical models of acute and neuropathic pain. Utilizing 4-(dimethylamino)-4-phenylcyclo-hexanone 1 and tryptophol in an oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction led to the formation of spiroether 2, representing a novel NOP and opioid peptide receptor agonistic chemotype. This finding initially stems from the systematic derivatization of 1, which resulted in alcohols 3-5, ethers 6 and 7, amines 8-10, 22-24, and 26-28, amides 11 and 25, and urea 12, many with low nanomolar binding affinities at the NOP and mu opioid peptide (MOP) receptors.

Chapter 16:Spirocycles as Privileged Structural Motifs in Medicinal Chemistry

Sterically constrained spirocycles are common and privileged motifs in many bioactive natural products, as well as in pharmaceutical and agrochemical substances. In contrast to purely aromatic and usually flat molecules, spirocycles display a high level of three-dimensionality through their sp3 carbon atoms, which often give rise to high biological activity, as well as selectivity. Furthermore, spirocyclic motifs frequently open the door to novel and uncovered chemical space. Many examples of successfully marketed and investigational drugs based on spirocyclic scaffolds are described in the literature and highlights will be exemplified in this chapter.