Here we report the discovery of tetracyclic benzothiazepines (BTZs) as highly potent and selective antimalarials along with the identification of the Plasmodium falciparum cytochrome bc1 complex as the primary functional target of this novel compound class. Investigation of the structure activity relationship within this previously unexplored chemical scaffold has yielded inhibitors with low nanomolar activity. A combined approach employing genetically modified parasites, biochemical profiling, and resistance selection validated inhibition of cytochrome bc1 activity, an essential component of the parasite respiratory chain and target of the widely used antimalarial drug atovaquone, as the mode of action of this novel compound class. Resistance to atovaquone is eroding the efficacy of this widely used antimalarial drug. Intriguingly, BTZ-based inhibitors retain activity against atovaquone resistant parasites, suggesting this chemical class may provide an alternative to atovaquone in combination therapy.

The inhibition of bacterial cell division offers a new approach to controlling resistant bacterial infections.[1, 2] FtsZ is a protein of central importance to cell division that is often described as the prokaryotic homolog of tubulin because of the structural similarity of these two proteins, in spite of low sequence homology.[3–5] Both proteins undergo GTP-driven oligomerization and the active sites of both proteins are similar. Tubulin forms microtubules in the bipolar spindle assembly, which mediates chromosome separation in eukaryotes. FtsZ oligomerizes at midcell during bacterial cell division to form the Z-ring, which constricts to induce septation. Inhibition of FtsZ has been validated as a potential new therapeutic strategy for fighting resistant infections, including MRSA.[6–8] In stark contrast to tubulin, few FtsZ-targeting natural products are known and no information regarding the molecular basis of their inhibition of FtsZ has been documented.[9–12] The development of efficient syntheses for FtsZ-targeting natural products will enable elucidation of their mechanisms of inhibition and enable further development of this target. This communication describes the synthesis of viriditoxin, one the most potent FtsZ-targeting natural products and the first 6,6'-binapthopyranone to be synthesized.[13]

This study characterizes aminoindole molecules that are analogs of Genz-644442. Genz-644442 was identified as a hit in a screen of ~70,000 compounds in the Broad Institute's small-molecule library and the ICCB-L compound collection at Harvard Medical School. Genz-644442 is a potent inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro (50% inhibitory concentrations [IC₅₀s], 200 to 285 nM) and inhibits P. berghei in vivo with an efficacy of > 99% in an adapted version of Peters' 4-day suppressive test (W. Peters, Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol. 69:155-171, 1975). Genz-644442 became the focus of medicinal chemistry optimization; 321 analogs were synthesized and were tested for in vitro potency against P. falciparum and for in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. This yielded compounds with IC₅₀s of approximately 30 nM. The lead compound, Genz-668764, has been characterized in more detail. It is a single enantiomer with IC₅₀s of 28 to 65 nM against P. falciparum in vitro. In the 4-day P. berghei model, when it was dosed at 100 mg/kg of body weight/day, no parasites were detected on day 4 postinfection. However, parasites recrudesced by day 9. Dosing at 200 mg/kg/day twice a day resulted in cures of 3/5 animals. The compound had comparable activity against P. falciparum blood stages in a human-engrafted NOD-scid mouse model. Genz-668764 had a terminal half-life of 2.8 h and plasma trough levels of 41 ng/ml when it was dosed twice a day orally at 55 mg/kg/day. Seven-day rat safety studies showed a no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) at 200 mg/kg/day; the compound was not mutagenic in Ames tests, did not inhibit the hERG channel, and did not have potent activity against a broad panel of receptors and enzymes. Employing allometric scaling and using in vitro ADME data, the predicted human minimum efficacious dose of Genz-668764 in a 3-day once-daily dosing regimen was 421 mg/day/70 kg, which would maintain plasma trough levels above the IC₉₀ against P. falciparum for at least 96 h after the last dose. The predicted human therapeutic index was approximately 3, on the basis of the exposure in rats at the NOAEL. We were unable to select for parasites with >2-fold decreased sensitivity to the parent compound, Genz-644442, over 270 days of in vitro culture under drug pressure. These characteristics make Genz-668764 a good candidate for preclinical development.

The development of a concise strategy to access 2-amino-3-hydroxy-indoles, which are disclosed as novel antimalarials with potent in vivo activity, is reported. Starting from isatins the target compounds are synthesized in 2 steps and in good yields via oxoindole intermediates by employing tert-butyldimethylsilyl amine (TBDMSNH(2)) as previously unexplored ammonia equivalent.

AbstractThe target compounds are prepared from isatins in two steps by using tert‐butyldimethylsilyl amine as an ammonia equivalent.

A library of approximately 2000 small molecules biased toward inhibition of histone deacetylases was assayed for antimalarial activity in a high-throughput P. falciparum viability assay. Active compounds were cross-analyzed for induction of histone hyperacetylation in a human myeloma cell line to identify HDAC inhibitors with selectivity for P. falciparum over the human host. To verify on-target selectivity, pfHDAC-1 was expressed and purified and a biochemical assay for pfHDAC-1 activity was established.

Ethanol production from corn starch in the corn dry milling process leaves Distillers' Dry Grains and Solubles (DDGS) as a major by-product from which additional ethanol may be economically obtained from its glucan content. A challenge in processing the cellulose content of this material lies in its extensive inter-cellulose chain hydrogen bonding, which inhibits access of enzymes capable of cleaving glycosidic bonds, a transformation required for providing fermentable sugars. The phosphitylation of cellulosic OH groups using a reactive bicyclic phosphite ester is utilized to disrupt cellulosic hydrogen bonds, thus providing access to cellulose chains for further processing. We describe a method of pretreating DDGS with commercially available trimethylolpropane phosphite [P(OCH2)3CEt] in the presence of a slight molar excess of water to afford greater than 90% DDGS solubility in the reaction mixture in methanol and in water. Preliminary results using a model compound [D-(+)-permethylated cellobiose] indicate that glycosidic bonds are cleaved as a consequence of this pretreatment.

A short synthesis of Kaempferitrin (1), a 3,7-diglycosylflavone, is reported. Key features include the synthesis of a protected form of kaempferol in which all four hydroxy groups are differentiated and the first bis-glycosylation of a dihydroxyflavone. This synthesis will allow the preparation of derivatives for further explorations into the origins of this compound's biological activity.

[81675-81-2] C10H27N4P (MW 234.32) InChI = 1S/C10H27N4P/c1-10(2,3)11-15(12(4)5,13(6)7)14(8)9/h1-9H3 InChIKey = YRNOSHBJMBLOSL-UHFFFAOYSA-N (an effective catalyst for Michael addition reactions,3, 4 a superior base for alkylation reactions,5-8 and for solubilizing α-amino acids in an organic solvent acetonitrile10) Alternate Name: phosphazene base P1-t-Bu. Solubility: partially or completely miscible with all common solvents. Physical Data: bp 62 °C/0.01 Torr. Form Supplied in: colorless mobile liquid; commercially available. Preparative Methods: prepared from the reaction of dimethylamine with (tert-butylimino)phosphorus trichloride followed by treatment with aqueous KOH.2 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: relatively volatile, insensitive to oxygen, and stable to hydrolysis.

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