374
L. S. Kallander et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 20 (2010) 371–374
Table 4
progressed to an in vivo model to measure their ability to reduce
estrogen-stimulated uterine growth and all were efficacious.
Rat pharmacokinetic and hERG channel dataa
Parameter
Compound
Acknowledgments
3b
20b
26c
41b
Dose (iv, po, mg/kg)
CLp, iv (mL/min/kg)
Vdss (L/kg)
Cmax, iv (ng/mL)
t1/2, iv (h)
1.1/2.1
120
39
39
3.6
2.1/4.2
98
12
221
1.6
1.3/0.85
1.2/1.8
150
10
134
1.1
The authors would like to acknowledge David Gray, Margaret
Clackers and Rosemary Sasse for performing the PR and AR binding
assays and Walter Trizna for performing T47D cellular assays.
Additionally, Theresa Roethke, Melanie Nord and Katrina Rivera
ran the rat in vivo studies and P450 in vitro assays. Finally, we
would like to thank Dennis A. Holt for scientific suggestions and
discussions.
59.7
11.7
290
5.0
Oral %F
23
0.78
ꢀ100
ꢀ100
ꢀ100
hERG IC50
(lM)
2.8
4.0
2.2
a
b
c
Values are means of two experiments.
Discrete study.
Cassette study (conducted as a mixture).
References and notes
1. Mangelsdorf, D. J.; Thummel, C.; Beato, M.; Herrlich, P.; Schütz, G.; Umesono,
K.; Blumberg, B.; Kastner, P.; Mark, M.; Chambon, P.; Evans, R. M. Cell 1995, 83,
835.
2. Edgren, R. A.; Sturtevant, F. M. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1976, 125, 1029.
3. Spitz, I. M. Exp. Rev. Obstet. Gynecol. 2007, 2, 227.
4. Lundeen, S. G.; Zhang, Z.; Zhu, Y.; Carver, J. M.; Winneker, R. C. J. Steroid
Biochem. Mol. Biol. 2001, 78, 137.
5. (a) Mihalyi, A.; Simsa, P.; Mutinda, K. C.; Meuleman, C.; Mwenda, J. M.;
D’Hooghe, T. M. Exp. Opin. Emerg. Drugs 2006, 11, 503; (b) Olive, D. L.; Pritts, E.
A. N. Eng. J. Med. 2001, 345, 266.
6. (a) Kern, J. C.; Terefenko, E. A.; Fensome, A.; Unwalla, R.; Wrobel, J.; Cohen, J.;
Zhu, Y.; Berrodin, T. J.; Yudt, M. R.; Winneker, R. C.; Zhang, Z.; Zhang, P. Bioorg.
Med. Chem. Lett. 2008, 18, 5015; (b) Zhi, L.; Tegley, C. M.; Kallel, E. A.; Marschke,
K. B.; Mais, D. E.; Gottardis, M. M.; Jones, T. K. J. Med. Chem. 1998, 41, 291; (c)
Dols, P. P. M. A.; Folmer, B. J. B.; Hamersma, H.; Kuil, C. W.; Lucas, H.; Ollero, L.;
Rewinkel, J. B. M.; Hermkens, P. H. H. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2008, 18, 1461.
7. Thompson, S. K.; Washburn, D. G.; Frazee, J. S.; Madauss, K. P.; Hoang, T. H.;
Lapinski, L.; Grygielko, E. T.; Glace, L. E.; Trizna, W.; Williams, S. P.; Duraiswami,
C.; Bray, J. D.; Laping, N. J. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2009, 19, 4777.
8. Gleeson, M. P. J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51, 817.
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
9. Washburn, D. G.; Hoang, T. H.; Frazee, J. S.; Johnson, L.; Hammond, M.; Manns,
S.; Madauss, K. P.; Williams, S. P.; Duraiswami, C.; Tran, T. B.; Stewart, E. L.;
Grygielko, E. T.; Glace, L. E.; Trizna, W.; Nagilla, R.; Bray, J. D.; Thompson, S. K.
Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2009, 19, 4664.
10. (a) Williams, S. P.; Sigler, P. B. Nature (London) 1998, 393, 392; (b) Madauss, K.
P.; Deng, S.-J.; Austin, R. J.; Lambert, M. H.; McLay, I.; Pritchard, J.; Short, S. A.;
Stewart, E. L.; Uings, I. J.; Williams, S. P. J. Med. Chem. 2004, 47, 3381; (c)
Compound 20’s PDB code is 3KBA.
11. Madauss, K. P.; Grygielko, E. T.; Deng, S.-J.; Sulpizio, A. C.; Stanley, T. B.; Wu, C.;
Short, S. A.; Thompson, S. K.; Stewart, E. L.; Laping, N. J.; Williams, S. P.; Bray, J.
D. Mol. Endocrinol. 2007, 21, 1066.
None
20
26
41
Compound (10 mg/kg)
Chart 2. Rat Uterus Wet Weight. Line corresponds to reduction for medroxypro-
gesterone acetate (2, 10 mg/kg).
12. Zeng, H.; Lozinskaya, I. M.; Lin, Z.; Willette, R. N.; Brooks, D. P.; Xu, X. J.
Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2006, 319, 957.
Previous work has demonstrated that PR partial agonists op-
pose the effects of estrogen-stimulated uterine growth in an ovari-
ectomized rat uterotrophic model.7,9 Three new compounds,
sulfonamide 20, carbamate 26 and amide 41 were tested at a
10 mg/kg dose and the reduction in uterine wet weight relative
to estrogen alone was determined (Chart 2). All three compounds
were efficacious; in fact, compound 41 demonstrated a decrease
in uterine wet weight comparable to the full agonist MPA (2). This
result suggests that compounds with a range of PR agonism levels
could be developed and used to treat endometriosis. Whether such
compounds will achieve an improved side-effect profile compared
to full progestins will likely require clinical evaluation because
there are no validated preclinical models for common PR-related
side-effects such as break-through bleeding.
In summary, pyrrolidine derivatives designed to be less basic by
incorporation of sulfonamide, carbamate or amide substituents
demonstrate reduced hERG channel blockade and improved rat
PK properties. These compounds were found to be potent PR par-
tial agonists with good AR selectivity and reduced activity at two
P450 isozymes. Three high quality compounds 20, 26, and 41 were
13. Example preparation (compound 23); step b (i): TFA (9.2 mL) was added to a
solution of 1-dimethylethyl (3S)-3-[(3-chloro-4-cyanophenyl)amino]-1-
pyrrolidinecarboxylate (6 g, 18.7 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (40 mL) and the mixture
was stirred for 5 h. Toluene (20 mL) was added and the reaction mixture was
concentrated. Saturated aqueous NaHCO3 (50 mL) was added to the residue
and the mixture was extracted with EtOAc (5 Â 100 mL). The organic extracts
were dried over MgSO4 and concentrated to yield the product as a red–brown
solid (6.8 g). MS(ES) m/e 220.0 [M+H]+. (ii): Methyl chloroformate (0.78 g,
8.1 mmol)
was
added
to
a
solution
of
2-chloro-4-[(3S)-3-
pyrrolidinylamino]benzonitrile (1.88 g, 8.48 mmol) and Et3N (2 mL,
12.7 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (50 mL) at 0 °C. After stirring at 0 °C for 3 h, saturated
aqueous NaHCO3 was added and the layers were separated. The organic layer
was dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated. The residue was purified via flash
chromatography to give the product as a white foam (2.12 g, 89%). MS(ES) m/e
280.2 [M+H]+. Step c: NaH (60% in mineral oil, 0.043 g, 1.08 mmol) was added
to
a
solution of methyl (3S)-3-[(3-chloro-4-cyanophenyl)amino]-1-
pyrrolidinecarboxylate (0.1 g, 0.36 mmol) in DMF (3 mL) at 0 °C. After
stirring for 5 min, 1-(bromomethyl)-2-fluorobenzene (0.072 g, 0.38 mmol)
was added and the mixture was stirred for 2 h. Saturated aqueous NaHCO3
was added and the reaction mixture was extracted with EtOAc (2Â). The
organic layers were dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated. The residue was
purified via flash chromatography to give the product as a white foam (0.072 g,
52%).1H NMR (CDCl3): d 7.44 (d, J = 9.2 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (m, 1H), 7.12 (m, 2H), 7.01
(m, 1H), 6.80 (d, J = 2.4 Hz, 1H), 6.60 (dd, J = 8.8, 2.4 Hz, 1H), 4.60 (m, 3H), 3.83
(m, 1H), 3.72 (s, 3H), 3.60 (m, 1H), 3.45 (m, 1H), 3.31 (m, 1H), 2.23 (m, 1H), 2.05
(m, 1H). MS(ES) m/e 388.6 [M+H]+.