Zhaozhong J. Jia

Specific Inhibition of Spleen Tyrosine Kinase Suppresses Leukocyte Immune Function and Inflammation in Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Based on genetic studies that establish the role of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) in immune function, inhibitors of this kinase are being investigated as therapeutic agents for inflammatory diseases. Because genetic studies eliminate both adapter functions and kinase activity of Syk, it is difficult to delineate the effect of kinase inhibition alone as would be the goal with small-molecule kinase inhibitors. We tested the hypothesis that specific pharmacological inhibition of Syk activity retains the immunomodulatory potential of Syk genetic deficiency. We report here on the discovery of (4-(3-(2H-1,2,3-triazol-2-yl)phenylamino)-2-((1R,2S)-2-aminocyclohexylamino) pyrimidine-5-carboxamide acetate (P505-15), a highly specific and potent inhibitor of purified Syk (IC50 1–2 nM). In human whole blood, P505-15 potently inhibited B cell antigen receptor-mediated B cell signaling and activation (IC50 0.27 and 0.28 μM, respectively) and Fcε receptor 1-mediated basophil degranulation (IC50 0.15 μM). Similar levels of ex vivo inhibition were measured after dosing in mice (Syk signaling IC50 0.32 μM). Syk-independent signaling and activation were unaffected at much higher concentrations, demonstrating the specificity of kinase inhibition in cellular systems. Oral administration of P505-15 produced dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity in two rodent models of rheumatoid arthritis. Statistically significant efficacy was observed at concentrations that specifically suppressed Syk activity by ∼67%. Thus specific Syk inhibition can mimic Syk genetic deficiency to modulate immune function, providing a therapeutic strategy in P505-15 for the treatment of human diseases.

Discovery of betrixaban (PRT054021), N-(5-chloropyridin-2-yl)-2-(4-(N,N-dimethylcarbamimidoyl)benzamido)-5-methoxybenzamide, a highly potent, selective, and orally efficacious factor Xa inhibitor.

Systematic SAR studies of in vitro factor Xa inhibitory activity around compound 1 were performed by modifying each of the three phenyl rings. A class of highly potent, selective, efficacious and orally bioavailable direct factor Xa inhibitors was discovered. These compounds were screened in hERG binding assays to examine the effects of substitution groups on the hERG channel affinity. From the leading compounds, betrixaban (compound 11, PRT054021) has been selected as the clinical candidate for development.

Design, synthesis and structure–Activity relationships of benzoxazinone-Based factor Xa inhibitors

A series of benzoxazinone derivatives was designed and synthesized as factor Xa inhibitors. We demonstrated that the naphthyl moiety in the aniline-based compounds 1 and 2 can be replaced with benzene-fused heterobicycles and biaryls to give factor Xa inhibitors with improved trypsin selectivity. The P4 modifications lead to monoamidines which are moderately active. The benzoxazinones 41-45 are potent against factor Xa, retain the improved trypsin selectivity of the corresponding aniline-based compounds, and show strong antithrombotic effect dose responsively.

Inhibition of Purified Factor Xa Amidolytic Activity May Not Be Predictive of Inhibition of In Vivo Thrombosis: Implications for Identification of Therapeutically Active Inhibitors

Objective—In this study we test the hypothesis that blood/plasma-based prothrombinase assays, rather than inhibition of purified factor Xa (fXa), are predictive of in vivo antithrombotic activity. Methods and Results—Six fXa inhibitors with equivalent nanomolar Ki were studied in thrombin generation assays using human plasma/blood and endogenous macromolecular substrate. In all assays, benzamidine inhibitors were more potent (100 to 800 nmol/L) than the aminoisoquinolines (5 to 58 &mgr;mol/L) or neutral inhibitors (3 to10 &mgr;mol/L). A similar rank order of compound inhibition was also seen in purified prothrombinase assays as well as in a rabbit model of deep vein thrombosis. Conclusions—Assays using prothrombinase with protein substrates are better predictors of in vivo efficacy than fXa Ki using amidolytic substrates.

Anthranilamide-based N,N-dialkylbenzamidines as potent and orally bioavailable factor Xa inhibitors: P4 SAR.

Anthranilamide-based benzamidine compound 4 and its N-substituted analogs were designed and examined as factor Xa inhibitors using substituted benzamidines as unconventional S4 binding element. A group of N,N-dialkylbenzamidines (11, 17 and 24) have been discovered as potent factor Xa inhibitors with strong anticoagulant activity and promising oral PK profiles.

Design, Synthesis, and SAR of Amino Acid Derivatives as Factor Xa Inhibitors

A series of potent and selective factor Xa inhibitors was synthesized using various readily available amino acids as central templates. The most potent compound displays IC(50) of 3 nM.