SPPL2a (Signal Peptide Peptidase Like 2a) is an intramembrane aspartyl protease engaged in the function of B-cells and dendritic cells. Despite being an attractive target for modulation of the immune system, selective SPPL2a inhibitors are barely described in the literature. Recently, we have disclosed a selective, small molecular weight agent SPL-707 which confirmed that pharmacological inhibition of SPPL2a leads to the accumulation of its substrate CD74/p8 and as a consequence to a reduction in the number of B-cells as well as myeloid dendritic cells in mice. In this paper we describe the discovery of novel hydroxyethylamine based SPPL2a inhibitors. Starting from a rather lipophilic screening hit, several iterative optimization cycles allowed for its transformation into a highly potent and selective compound 15 (SPL-410) which inhibited in vivo CD74/p8 fragment processing in mice at 10 mg/kg oral dose.

Systematic SAR optimization of the GPR119 agonist lead 1, derived from an internal HTS campaign, led to compound 29. Compound 29 displays significantly improved in vitro activity and oral exposure, leading to GLP1 elevation in acutely dosed mice and reduced glucose excursion in an OGTT study in rats at doses ⩾10mg/kg.

Screening hit 5 was identified in a biochemical screen for GPR119 agonists. Compound 5 was structurally novel, displayed modest biochemical activity and no oral exposure, but was structurally distinct from typical GPR119 agonist scaffolds. Systematic optimization led to compound 36 with significantly improved in vitro activity and oral exposure, to elevate GLP1 acutely in an in vivo mouse model at a dose of 10 mg/kg.

L'invention concerne des composes, des compositions pharmaceutiques contenant de tels composes et des methodes d'utilisation de tels composes pour traiter ou prevenir des maladies ou des troubles associes a l'activite du GPR119.

The discovery, synthesis, and optimization of compound 1 from a high-throughput screening hit to highly potent and selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARdelta) agonists are reported. The synthesis and structure-activity relationship in this series are described in detail. On the basis of a general schematic PPAR pharmacophore model, scaffold 1 was divided into headgroup, linker, and tailgroup and successively optimized for PPAR activation using in vitro PPAR transactivation assays. A (2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid headgroup, a flexible linker, and a five-membered heteroaromatic center ring with two hydrophobic aryl substituents were required for efficient and selective PPARdelta activation. The fine-tuning of these aryl substituents led to an array of highly potent and selective compounds such as compound 38c, displaying an excellent pharmacokinetic profile in mouse. In an in vivo acute dosing model, selected members of this array were shown to induce the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-4 (PDK4) and uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3), genes that are known to be involved in energy homeostasis and regulated by PPARdelta in skeletal muscle.

Several series of compounds containing the 1,4-dioxo-2-butenyl moiety have been prepared as candidate cytotoxins, including the methyl N-arylmaleamates, methyl N-arylfumaramates, and N-arylmaleimides. In addition, the N-arylisomaleimides were synthesized which are the structural isomers of N-arylmaleimides. These compounds were evaluated against human Molt 4/C8 and CEM T-lymphocytes as well as murine L1210 cells. Methyl N-arylfumaramates showed the highest cytotoxic potencies and, in particular, methyl N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)fumaramate is six times more potent than melphalan towards L1210 cells and is equipotent with this drug in the Molt 4/C8 assay. Electrophilicity of compounds under investigation was demonstrated by carrying out thiolation using model benzyl mercaptan on representative compounds. Methyl N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)fumaramate and methyl N-(4-chlorophenyl)maleamate inhibited human N-myristoyltransferase, a possible molecular target, in high micromolar range. QSAR and molecular modeling revealed some correlations between different structural features of a number of the molecules and cytotoxic potencies. Methyl N-arylfumaramates were well tolerated in mice in comparison to the analogs in other series of compounds tested. The data obtained in this investigation affords guidelines for preparing new series of molecules with greater potencies.

We report the identification of a novel series of trisubstituted isoxazoles as PPAR activators from a high-throughput screen. A series of structural optimizations led to improved efficacy and excellent functional receptor selectivity for PPAR delta. The isoxazoles represent a series of agonists which display a scaffold that lies outside the typical PPAR agonist motif. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A series of PPAR delta-selective agonists was investigated and optimized for a favorable in vivo pharmacokinetic profile. Isoxazole LC1765 (17d) was found to be a potent and selective PPAR delta agonist with good in vivo PK properties in mouse (C-max = 5.1 mu M, t(1/2) = 3.1 h). LC1765 regulated expression of genes involved in energy homeostasis in relevant tissues when dosed orally in C57BL6 mice. A co-crystal structure of compound LC1765 and the LBD of PPAR delta is discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A practical method for large scale synthesis of 1-arylnaphthalene and 1-aryl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene lignans is described. The method makes use of the classic Stobbe condensation followed by regioselective reactions that provide access to both the common and retrolactone lignans, e.g., 2 and 3. A total of 25 compounds, many of which are known natural products, were prepared and their antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus measured.Key words: lignan, Stobbe, arylnaphthalene, antiviral.