Yves St-Denis

Synthesis and pharmacological characterization of novel druglike corticotropin-releasing factor 1 antagonists.

To identify new CRF(1) receptor antagonists, an attempt to modify the bis-heterocycle moiety present in the top region of the dihydropyrrole[2,3]pyridine template was made following new pharmacophoric hypothesis on the CRF(1) receptor antagonists binding pocket. In particular, the 2-thiazole ring, present in the previous series of compounds, was replaced by more hydrophilic non aromatic heterocycles able to make appropriate H-bond interactions with amino acid residues Thr192 and Tyr195. This exploration, followed by an accurate analysis of the substitution of the pendant aryl ring, enabled to identify in vitro potent compounds showing excellent pharmacokinetics and outstanding in vivo activity in animal models of anxiety, both in rodents and primates.

Potent and selective bicyclic lactam inhibitors of thrombin: Part 2: P1 modifications.

The synthesis and antithrombotic activity of a series of nonpeptide bicyclic thrombin inhibitors is described. We have explored the SAR with modifications to the P1 site. The introduction of arginine mimetics at the P1 site led to potent and selective thrombin inhibitors.

Potent and selective bicyclic lactam inhibitors of thrombin. Part 4: transition state inhibitors.

Bicyclic piperazinone based thrombin inhibitors of general structure 2 were prepared and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. These inhibitors, having in common an electrophilic basic trans-cyclohexylamine P1 residue, displayed high thrombin affinity, high selectivity against trypsin and good in vivo efficacy in the rat arterial thrombosis model.

Potent bicyclic lactam inhibitors of thrombin: Part I: P3 modifications.

Peptidomimetic inhibitors of general structure 1 have been prepared. Optimization of the binding affinities of these compounds through variation of the P3 hydrophobic residue is described. Selected substituted bicylic lactams displayed interesting pharmacological profiles both in vitro and in vivo.

Discovery Process and Characterization of Novel Carbohydrazide Derivatives as Potent and Selective GHSR1a Antagonists

Fabio Maria Sabbatini,* Romano Di Fabio,* Mauro Corsi, Paolo Cavanni, Steve M. Bromidge, Yves St-Denis, Lucilla D’Adamo, Stefania Contini, Marilisa Rinaldi, Sebastien Guery, Chiara Savoia, Claudia Mundi, Benedetta Perini, Andrew J. Carpenter, Giovanna Dal Forno, Federico Faggioni, Michela Tessari, Francesca Pavone, Carla Di Francesco, Alberto Buson, Mario Mattioli, Elisabetta Perdona’, and Sergio Melotto

Dihydropyrrole[2,3-d]pyridine derivatives as novel corticotropin-releasing factor-1 antagonists: mapping of the receptor binding pocket by in silico docking studies.

In an effort to discover novel CRF-1 receptor antagonists exhibiting improved physicochemical properties, a dihydropirrole[2,3]pyridine scaffold was designed and explored in terms of the SAR of the substitution at the pendent phenyl ring and the nature of the heterocyclic moieties present in the upper region of the molecule. Selective and potent compounds have been discovered endowed with reduced ClogP with respect to compounds known in the literature. Of particular relevance was the finding that the in vitro affinity of the series was maintained by reducing the overall lipophilicity. The results achieved by this exploration enabled the formulation of a novel hypothesis on the nature of the receptor binding pocket of this class of CRF-1 receptor antagonists, making use of in silico docking studies of the putative nonpeptidic antagonist binding site set up in house by homology modeling techniques.

Cyclopenta[d]pyrimidines and Dihydropyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines as Potent and Selective Corticotropin‐Releasing Factor 1 Receptor Antagonists

Two new classes of potent and selective CRF1 receptor antagonists are presented. Exploration of general templates 3 and 4 through modifications of the top amine and bottom phenyl substituents led to optimization of the in vitro affinity and pharmacokinetic profiles. The typical alkyl chains present in the top region of CRF1 antagonists were replaced by substituted heteroaryl moieties, leading to a dramatic improvement of the metabolic stability. This improvement was apparent when the compounds were dosed in vivo: several compounds exhibited low plasma clearance, good oral bioavailability, and high brain penetration. As a consequence of their outstanding pharmacokinetic profiles, these CRF1 antagonists, as exemplified by compound 4 fi (4‐(4‐bromo‐3‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐7‐(2,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐2‐methyl‐6,7‐dihydro‐5H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine), produced a dose‐dependent “anxiolytic‐like” effect when administered orally, decreasing the vocalization of rat pups.

The design of potent and selective inhibitors of thrombin utilizing a piperazinedione template: part 1.

Utilizing X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling, highly potent and selective peptidomimetic thrombin inhibitors have been designed containing a rigid piperazinedione template. The synthesis and biological activity of these compounds will be described.

Heteroaryl-substituted 4-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-5,6-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives as potent and selective corticotropin-releasing factor receptor-1 antagonists.

Heteroaryl-Substituted 4-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-5,6-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Potent and Selective CorticotropinReleasing Factor Receptor-1 Antagonists Fabio Maria Sabbatini,* Romano Di Fabio,* Yves St-Denis, Anna-Maria Capelli, Emiliano Castiglioni, Stefania Contini, Daniele Donati, Elettra Fazzolari, Gabriella Gentile, Fabrizio Micheli, Francesca Pavone, Marilisa Rinaldi, Alessandra Pasquarello, Maria Grazia Zampori, Pina Di Felice, Paola Zarantonello, Roberto Arban, Benedetta Perini, Giovanni Vitulli, Roberto Benedetti, Beatrice Oliosi, and Angela Worby

Palladium‐Catalyzed Heteroaromatic Couplings Mediated by Microwave Irradiation

Abstract Nitrogen‐containing heterocycles bearing a halogen substituent have been converted to the corresponding amines by a synthetic protocol based on Buchwald methodology assisted by microwaves.