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Clinical development of γ-secretases, a family of intramembrane cleaving proteases, as therapeutic targets for a variety of disorders including cancer and Alzheimer's disease was aborted because of serious mechanism-based side effects in the phase III trials of unselective inhibitors. Selective inhibition of specific γ-secretase complexes, containing either PSEN1 or PSEN2 as the catalytic subunit and APH1A or APH1B as supporting subunits, does provide a feasible therapeutic window in preclinical models of these disorders. We explore here the pharmacophoric features required for PSEN1 versus PSEN2 selective inhibition. We synthesized a series of brain penetrant 2-azabicyclo[2,2,2]octane sulfonamides and identified a compound with low nanomolar potency and high selectivity (>250-fold) toward the PSEN1-APH1B subcomplex versus PSEN2 subcomplexes. We used modeling and site-directed mutagenesis to identify critical amino acids along the entry part of this inhibitor into the catalytic site of PSEN1. Specific targeting one of the different γ-secretase complexes might provide safer drugs in the future. ispartof: J Biol Chem vol:299 issue:6 pages:104794- ispartof: location:United States status: published

[Image: see text] We recently disclosed a set of heteroaryl-fused piperazine inhibitors of BACE1 that combined nanomolar potency with good intrinsic permeability and low Pgp-mediated efflux. Herein we describe further work on two prototypes of this family of inhibitors aimed at modulating their basicity and reducing binding to the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channel. This effort has led to the identification of compound 36, a highly potent (hAβ42 cell IC(50) = 1.3 nM), cardiovascularly safe, and orally bioavailable compound that elicited sustained Aβ(42) reduction in mouse and dog animal models.

β-Site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is considered to be a promising target for treating Alzheimer's disease. However, all clinical BACE1 inhibitors have failed due to lack of efficacy, and some have even led to cognitive worsening. Recent evidence points to the importance of avoiding BACE2 inhibition along with careful dose titration. In this study, we focused on the fact that the 10s loop lining the S3 pocket in BACE1 can form both "open (up)" and "closed (down)" conformations, whereas in BACE2, it prefers to adopt a "closed" form; thus, more space is available in BACE1. By leveraging the difference, we designed fused pyridine analogues that could reach the 10s loop, leading to 6 with high selectivity and significant Aβ reduction. The cocrystal structures confirmed that 6 significantly increased B-factors of the 10s loop in BACE2 relative to those in BACE1. Thus, the destabilization of BACE2 seems to offer structural insights into the reduced BACE2 potency of 6, explaining the significant improvement in BACE1 selectivity.

The discovery of a novel 2-aminotetrahydropyridine class of BACE1 inhibitors is described. Their pKa and lipophilicity were modulated by a pending sulfonyl group, while good permeability and brain penetration were achieved via intramolecular hydrogen bonding. BACE1 selectivity over BACE2 was achieved in the S3 pocket by a novel bicyclic ring system. An optimization addressing reactive metabolite formation, cardiovascular safety, and CNS toxicity is described, leading to the clinical candidate JNJ-67569762 (12), which gave robust dose-dependent BACE1-mediated amyloid β lowering without showing BACE2-dependent hair depigmentation in preclinical models. We show that 12 has a favorable projected human dose and PK and hence presented us with an opportunity to test a highly selective BACE1 inhibitor in humans. However, 12 was found to have a QT effect upon repeat dosing in dogs and its development was halted in favor of other selective leads, which will be reported in the future.

Inhibition of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) has been extensively pursued as potential disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Clinical failures with BACE inhibitors have progressively raised the bar forever cleaner candidates with reduced cardiovascular liability, toxicity risk, and increased selectivity over cathepsin D (CatD) and BACE2.This review provides an overview of patented BACE1 inhibitors between 2011 and 2020 per pharmaceutical company or research group and highlights the progress that was made in dialing out toxicity liabilities.Despite an increasingly crowded IP situation, significant progress was made using highly complex chemistry in avoiding toxicity liabilities, with BACE1/BACE2 selectivity being the most remarkable achievement. However, clinical trial data suggest on-target toxicity is likely a contributing factor, which implies the only potential future of BACE1 inhibitors lies in careful titration of highly selective compounds in early populations where the amyloid burden is still minimal as prophylactic therapy, or as an affordable oral maintenance therapy following amyloid-clearing therapies.

A common challenge for medicinal chemists is to reduce the pKa of strongly basic groups' conjugate acids into a range that preserves the desired effects, usually potency and/or solubility, but avoids undesired effects like high volume of distribution (Vd), limited membrane permeation, and off-target binding to, notably, the hERG channel and monoamine receptors. We faced this challenge with a 3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-2-amine scaffold harboring an amidine, a key structural component of potential inhibitors of BACE1, the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of Aβ species that make up amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease. In our endeavor to balance potency with desirable properties to achieve brain penetration, we introduced a diverse set of groups in beta position of the amidine that modulate logD, PSA and pKa. Given the synthetic challenge to prepare these highly functionalized warheads, we first developed a design flow including predicted physicochemical parameters which allowed us to select only the most promising candidates for synthesis. For this we evaluated a set of commercial packages to predict physicochemical properties, which can guide medicinal chemists in their endeavors to modulate pKa values of amidine and amine bases.

The β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1, also known as β-secretase) is a promising target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. A pKa lowering approach over the initial leads was adopted to mitigate hERG inhibition and P-gp efflux, leading to the design of 6-CF3 dihydrothiazine 8 (N-(3-((4S,6S)-2-amino-4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiazin-4-yl)-4-fluorophenyl)-5-cyanopicolinamide). Optimization of 8 led to the discovery of 15 (N-(3-((4S,6S)-2-amino-4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiazin-4-yl)-4-fluorophenyl)-5-(fluoromethoxy)pyrazine-2-carboxamide) with an excellent balance of potency, hERG inhibition, P-gp efflux, and metabolic stability. Oral administration of 8 elicited robust Aβ reduction in dog even at 0.16 mg/kg. Reflecting the reduced hERG inhibitory activity, no QTc prolongation was observed at high doses. The potential for reactive metabolite formation of 15 was realized in a nucleophile trapping assay using [14 C]-KCN in human liver microsomes. Utilizing covalent binding (CVB) in human hepatocytes and the maximum projected human dosage, the daily CVB burden of 15 was calculated to be at an acceptable value of below 1 mg/day. However, hepatotoxicity was observed when 15 was subjected to a two-week tolerance study in dog, which prevented further evaluation of this compound.

BACE1 is an attractive target for disease-modifying treatment of Alzheimer's disease. BACE2, having high homology around the catalytic site, poses a critical challenge to identifying selective BACE1 inhibitors. Recent evidence indicated that BACE2 has various roles in peripheral tissues and the brain, and therefore, the chronic use of nonselective inhibitors may cause side effects derived from BACE2 inhibition. Crystallographic analysis of the nonselective inhibitor verubecestat identified explicit water molecules with different levels of free energy in the S2' pocket. Structure-based design targeting them enabled the identification of propynyl oxazine 3 with improved selectivity. Further optimization efforts led to the discovery of compound 6 with high selectivity. The cocrystal structures of 7, a close analogue of 6, bound to BACE1 and BACE2 confirmed that one of the explicit water molecules is displaced by the propynyl group, suggesting that the difference in the relative water displacement cost may contribute to the improved selectivity.

In previous studies, the introduction of electron withdrawing groups to 1,4-oxazine BACE1 inhibitors reduced the pKa of the amidine group, resulting in compound 2 that showed excellent in vivo efficacy, lowering Aβ levels in brain and CSF. However, a suboptimal cardiovascular safety margin, based on QTc prolongation, prevented further progression. Further optimization resulted in the replacement of the 2-fluoro substituent by a CF3-group, which reduced hERG inhibition. This has led to compound 3, with an improved cardiovascular safety margin and sufficiently safe in GLP toxicity studies to progress into clinical trials.

β-Secretase (BACE1) has an essential role in the production of amyloid β peptides that accumulate in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, inhibition of BACE1 is considered to be a disease-modifying approach for the treatment of AD. Our hit-to-lead efforts led to a cellular potent 1,3-dihydro-oxazine 6, which however inhibited hERG and showed high P-gp efflux. The close analogue of 5-fluoro-oxazine 8 reduced P-gp efflux; further introduction of electron withdrawing groups at the 6-position improved potency and also mitigated P-gp efflux and hERG inhibition. Changing to a pyrazine followed by optimization of substituents on both the oxazine and the pyrazine culminated in 24 with robust Aβ reduction in vivo at low doses as well as reduced CYP2D6 inhibition. On the basis of the X-ray analysis and the QM calculation of given dihydro-oxazines, we reasoned that the substituents at the 6-position as well as the 5-fluorine on the oxazine would stabilize a bioactive conformation to increase potency.

Genetic evidence points to deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) as a causal factor for Alzheimer's disease. Aβ generation is initiated when β-secretase (BACE1) cleaves the amyloid precursor protein. Starting with an oxazine lead 1, we describe the discovery of a thiazine-based BACE1 inhibitor 5 with robust Aβ reduction in vivo at low concentrations, leading to a low projected human dose of 14 mg/day where 5 achieved sustained Aβ reduction of 80% at trough level.

BACE1 inhibitors hold potential as agents in disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease. BACE2 cleaves the melanocyte protein PMEL in pigment cells of the skin and eye, generating melanin pigments. This role of BACE2 implies that nonselective and chronic inhibition of BACE1 may cause side effects derived from BACE2. Herein, we describe the discovery of potent and selective BACE1 inhibitors using structure-based drug design. We targeted the flap region, where the shape and flexibility differ between these enzymes. Analysis of the cocrystal structures of an initial lead 8 prompted us to incorporate spirocycles followed by its fine-tuning, culminating in highly selective compounds 21 and 22. The structures of 22 bound to BACE1 and BACE2 revealed that a relatively high energetic penalty in the flap of the 22-bound BACE2 structure may cause a loss in BACE2 potency, thereby leading to its high selectivity. These findings and insights should contribute to responding to the challenges in exploring selective BACE1 inhibitors.

[Image: see text] Despite several years of research, only a handful of β-secretase (BACE) 1 inhibitors have entered clinical trials as potential therapeutics against Alzheimer’s disease. The intrinsic basic nature of low molecular weight, amidine-containing BACE 1 inhibitors makes them far from optimal as central nervous system drugs. Herein we present a set of novel heteroaryl-fused piperazine amidine inhibitors designed to lower the basicity of the key, enzyme binding, amidine functionality. This study resulted in the identification of highly potent (IC(50) ≤ 10 nM), permeable lead compounds with a reduced propensity to suffer from P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux.

The discovery, design and synthesis of a new series of GSMs is described. The classical imidazole heterocycle has been replaced by a cyano group attached to an indole nucleus. The exploration of this series has led to compound 26-S which combined high in vitro and in vivo potency with an acceptable drug-like profile.

Since its discovery in 1999, BACE-1, a membrane anchored aspartyl protease expressed primarily in the CNS, has been the target of numerous medicinal chemistry research programs. These efforts have produced highly potent inhibitors with nanomolar affinity and ever-increasing structural complexity. However, only a handful of these molecules have been able to combine in vitro potency with CNS permeability and progressed to the clinic. Herein, we describe a set of novel piperidine-based inhibitors. This investigation culminated with the identification of 43, a highly potent (IC50: 1.5 nM), permeable BACE-1 inhibitor with a low susceptibility to Pgp-mediated efflux.

β-Site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) inhibitors offer the potential of disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since 2014, major breakthroughs have appeared in the field of BACE1 inhibitors. This review provides an overview of amidine-based BACE1 inhibitors between 2014 and 2018. Herein are summarized i) the structure-activity relationship, ii) the physiological results and iii) the potential risks from a lack of selectivity. This review also summarizes clinical scope, results and outlook of the compounds that have been or are currently under development in clinical trials.

Accumulation of Aβ peptides is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is considered a causal factor in the pathogenesis of AD. β-Secretase (BACE1) is a key enzyme responsible for producing Aβ peptides, and thus agents that inhibit BACE1 should be beneficial for disease-modifying treatment of AD. Here we describe the discovery and optimization of novel oxazine-based BACE1 inhibitors by lowering amidine basicity with the incorporation of a double bond to improve brain penetration. Starting from a 1,3-dihydrooxazine lead 6 identified by a hit-to-lead SAR following HTS, we adopted a pKa lowering strategy to reduce the P-gp efflux and the high hERG potential leading to the discovery of 15 that produced significant Aβ reduction with long duration in pharmacodynamic models and exhibited wide safety margins in cardiovascular safety models. This compound improved the brain-to-plasma ratio relative to 6 by reducing P-gp recognition, which was demonstrated by a P-gp knockout mouse model.

Mutations in the catalytic subunit of the γ-secretase complex, Presenilin, cause familial Alzheimer’s disease. Analysis of patients’ brains shows that these mutations do not result in loss of enzymatic function but in qualitative changes in Aβ product profiles., Presenilin (PSEN) pathogenic mutations cause familial Alzheimer’s disease (AD [FAD]) in an autosomal-dominant manner. The extent to which the healthy and diseased alleles influence each other to cause neurodegeneration remains unclear. In this study, we assessed γ-secretase activity in brain samples from 15 nondemented subjects, 22 FAD patients harboring nine different mutations in PSEN1, and 11 sporadic AD (SAD) patients. FAD and control brain samples had similar overall γ-secretase activity levels, and therefore, loss of overall (endopeptidase) γ-secretase function cannot be an essential part of the pathogenic mechanism. In contrast, impaired carboxypeptidase-like activity (γ-secretase dysfunction) is a constant feature in all FAD brains. Significantly, we demonstrate that pharmacological activation of the carboxypeptidase-like γ-secretase activity with γ-secretase modulators alleviates the mutant PSEN pathogenic effects. Most SAD cases display normal endo- and carboxypeptidase-like γ-secretase activities. However and interestingly, a few SAD patient samples display γ-secretase dysfunction, suggesting that γ-secretase may play a role in some SAD cases. In conclusion, our study highlights qualitative shifts in amyloid-β (Aβ) profiles as the common denominator in FAD and supports a model in which the healthy allele contributes with normal Aβ products and the diseased allele generates longer aggregation-prone peptides that act as seeds inducing toxic amyloid conformations.

Beta site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) inhibitors hold great potential as disease modifying anti-Alzheimer’s drugs. This digest provides an overview of the amidine containing class of BACE1 inhibitors, of which multiple examples are now progressing through clinical trials. The various structural modifications highlight the struggle to combine potency with the optimal properties for a brain penetrant BACE1 inhibitor, and illustrate the crowded competitive landscape. This overview concludes with a summary of potential issues including substrate and target selectivity and a synopsis of the status of the current and past clinical assets.

Beta-secretase is the first cleavage enzyme of amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) in the amyloidogenic pathway, leading to the formation of the plaque forming Amyloid-β (Aβ)1-42 peptide. BACE (beta-site AβPP cleaving enzyme) 1 inhibition is therefore considered to be a promising disease modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease. An early assessment of the in vivo activity of BACE inhibitors was done in dogs since AβPP processing is the same as in humans and this species easily enables longitudinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling. Aβ changes in CSF compared to baseline are used to evaluate target engagement of the compounds. Levels of Aβ1-37, Aβ1-38, Aβ1-40, and Aβ1-42 in CSF are measured with immunoassay (Mesoscale electrochemiluminescence technology) and with an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Two experimental BACE inhibitors were evaluated. With the immunoassay, a dose dependent decrease is observed for all four Aβ peptides. Measurements with the UPLC-MS/MS are in line with the immunoassay for Aβ1-37, Aβ1-38, and Aβ1-40, however, for Aβ1-42, differences are sometimes observed when comparing to changes seen in the other peptides with UPLC-MS/MS and with immunoassay results. Generally lower concentrations are measured with immunoassay. The reason for these differences is still unknown. Aβ1-42 is more prone to form aggregates compared to the other peptides. One hypothesis could be that while the immunoassay only measures free Aβ, bound and aggregated Aβ peptides are at least partially dissolved with the UPLC-MS/MS method, since acetonitrile is added to the CSF samples. This increases variability in the concentration of Aβ peptide measured with UPLC-MS/MS, especially for Aβ1-42, potentially masking the compound effect on Aβ1-42 levels.

The mechanisms by which mutations in the presenilins (PSEN) or the amyloid precursor protein (APP) genes cause familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) are controversial. FAD mutations increase the release of amyloid β (Aβ)42 relative to Aβ40 by an unknown, possibly gain-of-toxic-function, mechanism. However, many PSEN mutations paradoxically impair γ-secretase and 'loss-of-function' mechanisms have also been postulated. Here, we use kinetic studies to demonstrate that FAD mutations affect Aβ generation via three different mechanisms, resulting in qualitative changes in the Aβ profiles, which are not limited to Aβ42. Loss of ɛ-cleavage function is not generally observed among FAD mutants. On the other hand, γ-secretase inhibitors used in the clinic appear to block the initial ɛ-cleavage step, but unexpectedly affect more selectively Notch than APP processing, while modulators act as activators of the carboxypeptidase-like (γ) activity. Overall, we provide a coherent explanation for the effect of different FAD mutations, demonstrating the importance of qualitative rather than quantitative changes in the Aβ products, and suggest fundamental improvements for current drug development efforts.

In a previous communication, the SAR of a series of potent and selective 5-sulfonyl-benzimidazole CB2-receptor agonists was described. The lack of in vivo activity of compounds from this series was attributed to their poor solubility and metabolic stability. In this Letter, we report on the further optimization of this series, leading to the relatively polar and peripherically acting CB2 agonists 41 and 49. Although both compounds were not active in acute pain models, the less selective compound 41 displayed good, sustained activity in a chronic model of neuropathic pain without the tolerance observed with morphine. In addition, both 41 and 49 delayed the onset of clinical symptoms in an experimental model for Multiple sclerosis.

Aminopiperazinone inhibitors of BACE were identified by rational design. Structure based design guided idea prioritization and initial racemic hit 18a showed good activity. Modification in decoration and chiral separation resulted in the 40 nM inhibitor, (−)-37, which showed in vivo reduction of amyloid beta peptides. The crystal structure of 18a showed a binding mode driven by interaction with the catalytic aspartate dyad and distribution of the biaryl amide decoration towards S1 and S3 pockets.

γ-Secretase modulators (GSMs) inhibit the generation of amyloidogenic Aβ42 peptides and are promising agents for treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, a second generation of GSMs with favorable pharmacological properties has emerged, but preclinical studies to assess their efficacy in vivo are lacking. Such studies rely on transgenic mouse models that express amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin (PSEN) mutations associated with early-onset familial AD. Previously, we have shown that certain PSEN1 mutations attenuated the response of cultured cells to GSMs and potentially confound in vivo studies in AD mouse models. However, different combinations of familial AD mutations might have synergistic or opposing effects, and we have now systematically determined the response of APP and PSEN1 mutations present in current AD models. Using a potent acidic GSM, we found that APP mutations, either single mutations or in combination, did not affect the potency of GSMs. In contrast, all PSEN1 mutations that have been used to accelerate pathological changes in AD models strongly attenuated the Aβ42-lowering activity of GSMs with two exceptions (M146L, A246E). Similar results were obtained with potent non-acidic GSMs indicating that the attenuating effect of PSEN1 mutations cannot simply be overcome by increased potency or structural changes. Notably, two non-acidic compounds fully compensated the attenuating effect of the PSEN1-G384A mutation. Taken together, our findings indicate that most AD models with rapid pathology and advanced phenotypes are unsuitable for preclinical GSM studies. However, we also provide evidence that additional compound screens could discover GSMs that are able to break the attenuating effects of PSEN mutations.

A novel series of benzimidazole CB2-receptor agonists was synthesized and the structure-activity relationship explored. The results showed agonistic activities with an EC(50) up to 0.5 nM and excellent selectivity (>4000-fold) over the CB1 receptor. The size of the substituent on the 2-position determined the level of agonism, ranging from inverse agonism to partial agonism to full agonism, which was more pronounced for the rat CB2 receptor. A wide variation of sulfonyl substituents at the benzimidazole 5-position was tolerated, which was used to optimize the drug-like properties. This resulted into lead compound 14j that can be used to investigate the potential of a selective, peripherically acting CB2 agonist. The in vitro profile of key compounds is displayed using pie bar charts (VlaaiVis).

Two diastereoselective, scaleable routes towards trans -3,4-disubstituted piperidines with a 4-hydroxymethyl-3-hydroxy or 4-aminomethyl-3-hydroxy substitution pattern are being described. In the first route, the 3,4-trans configuration was introduced regio- and diastereoselectively via a hydroboration/oxidation sequence starting from 4-hydroxymethylpyridine. In the second route, regioselective epoxide ring opening of N -benzyl-3,4-epoxy-piperidine was achieved with LiCN, in situ generated from acetocyanohydrin and LiNH 2 . The regioselectivity of both the hydroboration and the epoxide ring opening was positively influenced by the presence of the basic piperidine nitrogen. Both routes have been optimized to be performed at large scale.

Cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors have bothantinociceptive and antihypersensitivity effects, alth-oughtheprecisemechanismsofactionarestillunclear.In this study, the modulatory role of CB2 receptors onthe mesenteric afferent response to the endogenousimmunogenic agent bradykinin (BK) was investigated.Mesenteric afferent recordings were obtained fromanaesthetized wild-type and CB2 )/ mice using con-ventional extracellular recording techniques. Controlresponses to BK were obtained in all experiments priorto administration of either CB2 receptor agonistAM1241, or AM1241 plus the CB2 receptor antagonistAM630. Bradykinin consistently evoked activation ofmesentericafferents(n ¼ 32).AM1241inhibitedtheBKresponseinadosedependentmanner.InthepresenceofAM630 (10 mg kg )1 ), however, AM1241 (10 mg kg )had no significant effect on the BK response. Moreover,AM1241 had also no significant effect on the BK re-sponse in CB2 )/) mice. Activation of the CB2 receptorinhibits the BK response in mesenteric afferents, dem-onstrating that the CB2 receptor is an important regu-lator of neuroimmune function. This may be amechanism of action for the antinociceptive and anti-hypersensitive effects of CB2 receptor agonists.Keywords afferent, cannabinoid, immune, mast cell,neuron, sensory.

1,4-Oxazines are presented, which show good in vitro inhibition in enzymatic and cellular BACE1 assays. We describe lead optimization focused on reducing the amidine pKa while optimizing interactions in the BACE1 active site. Our strategy permitted modulation of properties such as permeation and especially P-glycoprotein efflux. This led to compounds which were orally bioavailable, centrally active, and which demonstrated robust lowering of brain and CSF Aβ levels, respectively, in mouse and dog models. The amyloid lowering potential of these molecules makes them valuable leads in the search for new BACE1 inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

The design and synthesis of a novel series of potent gamma secretase modulators is described. Exploration of various spacer groups between the triazole ring and the aromatic appendix in 2 has led to anilinotriazole 28, which combined high in vitro and in vivo potency with an acceptable drug-like profile.

International audience; The microtubule associated protein tau causes primary and secondary tauopathies by unknown molecular mechanisms. Post-translational O-GlcNAc-ylation of brain proteins was demonstrated here to be beneficial for Tau.P301L mice by pharmacological inhibition of O-GlcNAc-ase. Chronic treatment of ageing Tau.P301L mice mitigated their loss in body-weight and improved their motor deficits, while the survival was 3-fold higher at the pre-fixed study endpoint at age 9.5 months. Moreover, O-GlcNAc-ase inhibition significantly improved the breathing parameters of Tau.P301L mice, which underpinned pharmacologically the close correlation of mortality and upper-airway defects. O-GlcNAc-ylation of brain proteins increased rapidly and stably by systemic inhibition of O-GlcNAc-ase. Conversely, biochemical evidence for protein Tau.P301L to become O-GlcNAc-ylated was not obtained, nor was its phosphorylation consistently or markedly affected. We conclude that increasing O-GlcNAc-ylation of brain proteins improved the clinical condition and prolonged the survival of ageing Tau.P301L mice, but not by direct biochemical action on protein tau. The pharmacological effect is proposed to be located downstream in the pathological cascade initiated by protein Tau.P301L, opening novel venues for our understanding, and eventually treating the neurodegeneration mediated by protein tau.

The evolution of amide 3 into conformationally restricted bicyclic triazolo-piperidine 14-S as a γ-secretase modulator is described. This is a potential disease modifying anti-Alzheimer’s drug which demonstrated high in vitro and in vivo potency against Aβ42 peptide, reduced lipophilicity and enhanced brain free fraction compared to the previous series.

Secretase modulation has been proposed as a potential disease modifying anti-Alzheimer’s approach. -Secretase modulators (GSMs) cause a product shift from the longer amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide isoforms to shorter, more soluble, and less amyloidogenic isoforms, without inhibiting APP or Notch proteolytic processing. As such, modulating -secretase may avoid some of the adverse effects observed with -secretase inhibitors. Since the termination of the GSM tarenfurbil in 2008 due to negative phase III trial results, a considerable progress has been made towards more potent and better brain penetrable compounds. However, an analysis of their lipophilic efficiency indices indicates that their increased potency can be largely attributed to their increased lipophilicity. The need for early and chronic dosing with GSMs will require high-safety margins. This will be a challenge to achieve with the current, highly lipophilic GSMs. We will demonstrate that by focusing on the drug-like properties of GSMs, a combination of highin vitropotency and reduced lipophilicity can be achieved and does result in better tolerated compounds. The next hurdle will be to translate this knowledge into GSMs which are highly efficacious and safein vivo.

The design and the synthesis of several chemical subclasses of imidazole containing γ-secretase modulators (GSMs) is described. Conformational restriction of pyridone 4 into bicyclic pyridone isosteres has led to compounds with high in vitro and in vivo potency. This has resulted in the identification of benzimidazole 44a as a GSM with low nanomolar potency in vitro. In mouse, rat, and dog, this compound displayed the typical γ-secretase modulatory profile by lowering Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels combined with an especially pronounced increase in Aβ38 and Aβ37 levels while leaving the total levels of amyloid peptides unchanged.

Disease-modifying approaches for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are urgently needed. A hallmark pathology of AD is the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are mainly aggregates of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides, among which Aβ42 is the most neurotoxic. The Aβ peptides are formed via sequential cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein by two aspartyl proteases: β-secretase (BACE1) and γ-secretase (GS). This report highlights key progress and findings toward GS inhibitors/modulators and β-secretase inhibitors as these topics were last reviewed in this journal in 2007. Clinical trials with GS inhibitors have been disappointing, but the identification of PS1 selective inhibitors and potent, brain-penetrant GS modulators may provide new opportunities. For β-secretase inhibitors, the difficulty of achieving sufficient brain penetration has finally been overcome with new guanidine- and amidine-containing chemical series.

Treatment of a distillation tail of Eucalyptus globulus, containing mainly (+)-aromadendrene ( 1 ) and (−)-alloaromadendrene ( 2 ), with K/Al 2 O 3 gives a quantitative conversion of 1 and 2 into isoledene ( 4 ). Oxidative cleavage of the central double bond in 4 produces (+)-bicyclogermacrane-1,8-dione ( 5 ). Thermal rearrangement of 5 gives via a homo [1,5] hydrogen shift at relatively low temperature the humulenedione 6 , and at higher temperature (FVP) the products 9 and 10 both with a cadinane skeleton. The naturally occurring humulenedione ( 7 ) and (−)-cubenol ( 17 ) can be synthesized starting from 6 and 9 , respectively.

The transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1) channel has been implicated in a number of inflammatory and nociceptive processes, and antagonists of the TRPA1 receptor could offer a potential treatment for conditions such as inflammatory or neuropathic pain, airway disorders, and itch. In a high throughput screen aimed at the identification of TRPA1 antagonists, 4-phenyl-2-thioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-indeno[1,2-d]pyrimidin-5-one (1) was identified as a potent TRPA1 receptor antagonist. A series of analogous tricyclic 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2-thiones has been prepared via the multi-component Biginelli reaction and subsequent derivatization. This has led to TRPA1 antagonists with potencies around 10nM for both rat and human derived TRPA1 receptors. The activity was shown to reside exclusively in the 4R-enantiomers.

Gamma-secretase, a membrane bound protease which cleaves the transmembrane protein amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP), is a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) and modulators (GSMs) are being investigated as potential disease-modifying agents. Preclinical in vivo models to monitor the activity on gamma-secretase are described in different species such as mouse, rat, and guinea pigs. All these models have their value in testing compounds with amyloid lowering properties, however, compound characteristics and pharmacokinetic properties, as well as other species characteristics such as limited sampling volumes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), recommended the use of a larger, non-rodent animal species. For this purpose, a screening model in dogs was developed for testing GSIs and GSMs. We showed that GSIs and GSMs had a dose- and time-dependent effect on Aβ(37), Aβ(38), Aβ(40), and Aβ(42) in CSF. Changes in liver function were evidenced by a transient increase in bilirubin with the GSMs and incidental increases in alanine aminotransferase for GSMs as well as GSIs. Microarray analysis of liver biopsies enabled to elucidate potential mechanisms behind the liver function changes. The relevance of the liver findings should be further evaluated in chronic pre-clinical safety studies and in humans. Based on our data, we can conclude that the dog is a very appropriate species to assess efficacy and safety of compounds which have an effect on AβPP processing such as GSMs, GSIs, and BACE-inhibitors.

The TRPA1 channel can be considered as a key biological sensor to irritant chemicals. In this paper, the discovery of 11H-dibenz[b,e]azepines (morphanthridines) and dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepines is described as extremely potent agonists of the TRPA1 receptor. This has led to the discovery that most of the known tear gases are potent TRPA1 activators. The synthesis and biological activity of a number of substituted morphanthridines and dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepines have given insight into the SAR around this class of TRPA1 agonists, with EC(50) values ranging from 1 μM to 0.1 nM. Compounds 6 and 32 can be considered as the most potent TRPA1 agonists known to date, with 6 now being used successfully as a screening tool in the discovery of TRPA1 antagonists. The use of ligands such as 6 and 32 as pharmacological tools may contribute to the basic knowledge of the TRPA1 channel and advance the development of TRPA1 antagonists as potential treatment for conditions involving TRPA1 activation, including asthma and pain.

Aromadendranes (1) belong to a class of sesquiterpenes, structurally characterized by a dimethyl cyclopropane ring fused to a hydroazulene skeleton, as depicted in Fig. 1. Throughout this and the following sections the numbering of the carbon skeleton will be used as given in (1). Next to the aromadendranes, the related sesquiterpenes with a 1,7-cycloaromadendrane, 7,8-seco-, and 9,10-secoaromadendrane skeleton will be discussed. Some dimeric and alkylated aromadendranes, e.g. macrocarpals and prenylaromadendranes are also included in this review. The literature is covered through September 1993.

The monoalcohols (−)-globulol ( 2 ), (−)-epiglobulol ( 3 ), (−)-ledol ( 4 ), and (+)-viridiflorol ( 5 ) were synthesized from (+)-aromadendrene ( 1 ). The cis-fused alloaromandedrone ( 14 ), the key intermediate used in the synthesis of 4 and 5 , was obtained from the trans-fused apoaromadendrone ( 13 ) via a selective protonation of the thermodynamic enol trimethylsilylether 15 . After hydroxylation of the tertiary C11 of 13 with RuO 4 , (+)-spathulenol ( 6 ), (−)-allospathulenol ( 7 ), and the aromadendrane diols 8 – 11 could be prepared. Compounds 2 – 11 were tested for antifungal properties, but their activity was only moderate.

The TRPA1 channel is activated by a number of pungent chemicals, such as allylisothiocyanate, present in mustard oil and thiosulfinates present in garlic. Most of the known activating compounds contain reactive, electrophilic chemical groups, reacting with cysteine residues in the active site of the TRPA1 channel. This covalent modification results in activation of the channel and has been shown to be reversible for several ligands. Commonly used tear gasses CN, CR and CS are also pungent chemicals, and in this study we show that they are extremely potent and selective activators of the human TRPA1 receptor. To our knowledge, these are the most potent TRPA1 agonists known to date. The identification of the molecular target for these tear gasses may open up possibilities to alleviate the effects of tear gasses via treatment with TRPA1 antagonists. In addition these results may contribute to the basic knowledge of the TRPA1 channel that is gaining importance as a pharmacological target.

Cramer et al . (Reports, 23 March 2012, p. 1503; published online 9 February 2012) tested bexarotene as a potential β-amyloid–lowering drug for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We were not able to reproduce the described effects in several animal models. Drug formulation appears very critical. Our data call for extreme caution when considering this compound for use in AD patients.

Background In our aging society Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is becoming more and more prevalent while effective symptomatic therapeutics remain limited and no cure is available. ApoE4 is the most important genetic risk factor for AD. Previous results by Cramer et al. [1] showed that Bexarotene treatment reduced Ab in the brain of wild type and AD model mice via an apoE-mediated clearance mechanism. Bexarotene, an RXR agonist, is an FDA approved drug for cutaneous T cell lymphoma and hence a preferred candidate for clinical testing. In this study we attempted to replicate the data by Cramer et al. [1].

Aromadendranes (1) belong to a class of sesquiterpenes, structurally characterized by a dimethyl cyclopropane ring fused to a hydroazulene skeleton, as depicted in Fig. 1. Throughout this and the following sections the numbering of the carbon skeleton will be used as given in (1). Next to the aromadendranes, the related sesquiterpenes with a 1,7-cycloaromadendrane, 7,8-seco-, and 9,10-secoaromadendrane skeleton will be discussed. Some dimeric and alkylated aromadendranes, e.g. macrocarpals and prenylaromadendranes are also included in this review. The literature is covered through September 1993.

Starting from the hydroazulene α-ketol 6, which can easily be prepared from (+)-aromadendrene (1), two different routes to hydronaphthalene compounds with a maaliane skeleton have been developed, both proceeding in high overall yield. The first route leads to cis-fused maaliane derivatives; the second one offers access to trans-fused maaliane sesquiterpenes, as demonstrated in this paper in the synthesis of (+)-maaliol (5).