Tai-n Yue

Enantioselective Synthesis of Janus Kinase Inhibitor INCB018424 via an Organocatalytic Aza-Michael Reaction

An enantioselective synthesis of INCB018424 via organocatalytic asymmetric aza-Michael addition of pyrazoles (16 or 20) to (E)-3-cyclopentylacrylaldehyde (23) using diarylprolinol silyl ether as the catalyst was developed. Michael adducts (R)-24 and (R)-27 were isolated in good yield and high ee and were readily converted to INCB018424.

Metabolism, Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics of [14C]INCB018424, a Selective Janus Tyrosine Kinase 1/2 Inhibitor, in Humans

The metabolism, excretion, and pharmacokinetics of 3-(4-(7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-3-cyclopentylpropanenitrile (INCB018424), a potent, selective inhibitor of Janus tyrosine kinase1/2 and the first investigational drug of its class in phase III studies for the treatment of myelofibrosis, were investigated in healthy human subjects given a single oral 25-mg dose of [14C]INCB018424 as an oral solution. INCB018424 and total radioactivity were absorbed rapidly (mean time to reach the maximal drug concentration <1 h), declining in a monophasic or biphasic fashion (mean t1/2 of 2.32 and 5.81 h, respectively). Recovery of administered radioactivity was fairly rapid (>70% within 24 h postdose) with 74 and 22% recovered in urine and feces, respectively. Parent compound was the predominant entity in the circulation, representing 58 to 74% of the total radioactivity up to 6 h postdose, indicating that the overall circulating metabolite burden was low (<50% of parent). Two metabolite peaks in plasma (M18 and a peak containing M16/M27, both hydroxylations on the cyclopentyl moiety) were identified as major (30 and 14% of parent based on area under the curve from 0 to 24 h). The exposures of other circulating INCB018424-related peaks were <10% of parent, consisting of mono- and dihydroxylated metabolites. The profiles in urine and feces consisted of hydroxyl and oxo metabolites and subsequent glucuronide conjugates with parent drug accounting for <1% of the excreted dose, strongly suggesting that after an oral dose, INCB018424 was >95% absorbed. In healthy subjects administered daily oral doses of unlabeled INCB018424, there were minimal differences in parent and metabolite concentrations between day 1 and day 10, indicating a lack of accumulation of parent or metabolites between single and multiple dosing.