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  2. Discovery and optimization of a novel series of highly CNS penetrant M4 PAMs based on a 5,6-dimethyl-4-(piperidin-1-yl)thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine core

Discovery and optimization of a novel series of highly CNS penetrant M4 PAMs based on a 5,6-dimethyl-4-(piperidin-1-yl)thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine core

  • Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2016 Jul 1;26(13):3029-3033. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2016.05.010.
Michael R Wood 1 Meredith J Noetzel 2 Julie L Engers 3 Katrina A Bollinger 3 Bruce J Melancon 2 James C Tarr 3 Changho Han 3 Mary West 3 Alison R Gregro 3 Atin Lamsal 3 Sichen Chang 3 Sonia Ajmera 3 Emery Smith 4 Peter Chase 4 Peter S Hodder 5 Michael Bubser 3 Carrie K Jones 6 Corey R Hopkins 7 Kyle A Emmitte 7 Colleen M Niswender 6 Michael W Wood 8 Mark E Duggan 8 P Jeffrey Conn 6 Thomas M Bridges 9 Craig W Lindsley 10
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
  • 2 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
  • 3 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
  • 4 The Scripps Research Institutes Molecular Screening Center, Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA.
  • 5 Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
  • 6 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
  • 7 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
  • 8 Neuroscience Innovative Medicines, Astra Zeneca, 141 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
  • 9 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. Electronic address: thomas.m.bridges@vanderbilt.edu.
  • 10 Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. Electronic address: craig.lindsley@vanderbilt.edu.
Abstract

This Letter describes the chemical optimization of a novel series of M4 positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) based on a 5,6-dimethyl-4-(piperidin-1-yl)thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine core, identified from an MLPCN functional high-throughput screen. The HTS hit was potent and selective, but not CNS penetrant. Potency was maintained, while CNS penetration was improved (rat brain:plasma Kp=0.74), within the original core after several rounds of optimization; however, the thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine core was subject to extensive oxidative metabolism. Ultimately, we identified a 6-fluoroquinazoline core replacement that afforded good M4 PAM potency, muscarinic receptor subtype selectivity and CNS penetration (rat brain:plasma Kp>10). Moreover, this campaign provided fundamentally distinct M4 PAM chemotypes, greatly expanding the available structural diversity for this exciting CNS target.

Keywords

M(4); Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor; Positive allosteric modulator (PAM); Schizophrenia; Structure–Activity Relationship (SAR).

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