Bicyclic [3.3.0]-Octahydrocyclopenta[<i>c</i>]pyrrolo Antagonists of Retinol Binding Protein 4: Potential Treatment of Atrophic Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Stargardt Disease
作者:Christopher L. Cioffi、Boglarka Racz、Emily E. Freeman、Michael P. Conlon、Ping Chen、Douglas G. Stafford、Daniel M. C. Schwarz、Lei Zhu、Douglas B. Kitchen、Keith D. Barnes、Nicoleta Dobri、Enrique Michelotti、Charles L. Cywin、William H. Martin、Paul G. Pearson、Graham Johnson、Konstantin Petrukhin
DOI:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00423
日期:2015.8.13
Antagonists of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) impede ocular uptake of serum all-trans retinol (1) and have been shown to reduce cytotoxic bisretinoid formation in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which is associated with the pathogenesis of both dry age-related macular degeneration (AIVID) and Stargardt disease. Thus, these agents show promise as a potential pharmacotherapy by which to stem further neurodegeneration and concomitant -vision loss associated with geographic atrophy of the macula. We previously disdosed the discovery of a novel series of nonretinoid RBP4 antagonists, represented by bicyclic [3.3.0]-octahydrocydopenta[c]pyrrolo analogue 4. We describe herein the utilization of a pyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid fragment as a suitable isostere for the anthranilic acid appendage of 4, which led to the discovery of standout antagonist 33. Analogue 33 possesses exquisite in vitro RBP4 binding affinity and favorable drug-like characteristics and was found to reduce circulating plasma RBP4 levels in vivo in a robust manner (>90%).