3924
D. J. Sheffler et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 22 (2012) 3921–3925
O
OH
O
OH
studies, 11 dose-dependently induced
a rightward shift and
decreased the maximal efficacy of the orthosteric agonist gluta-
mate (Fig. 6), consistent with a non-competitive (allosteric) mech-
anism of action. Thus, starting from a very potent mGlu5 PAM
N
N
CYPs
HO
(EC50 = 0.27 lM), we were able to optimize and develop a potent
MeO
11
13
and selective mGlu3 NAM with high selectivity (ꢀ15-fold) versus
O-dealkylation
mGlu2 and complete specificity versus mGlu5.
With this potent and selective mGlu3 NAM in hand, we began
profiling 11 in a battery of ancillary pharmacology and DMPK as-
says to assess the quality of this probe for potential in vivo stud-
ies. A Lead Profiling Screen at Ricerca32 (68 GPCRs, ion channels
Figure 7. Oxidative O-dealkylation of 11 in rat and human liver microsomes.
and transporters screened at 10
failed to identify any off target activities for 11 (no inhibi-
tion >25% at 10 M). In our tier 1 in vitro DMPK screen, com-
pound 11 displayed no P450 inhibition in human liver
microsomes (IC50 >30 M vs 3A4, 2C9, 2D6 and 1A2), high plasma
lM in radioligand binding assays)
may be required for in vivo efficacy with this first generation
mGlu3 NAM probe.
This project was an MLPCN Medicinal Chemistry FastTrack pro-
gram, and based on the profile of 11, it was declared an MLPCN
probe and assigned the identifier ML289.33 As such, ML289 is freely
available upon request.34
In summary, we have developed a potent, selective (>15-fold vs
mGlu2) and centrally penetrant mGlu3 NAM 11 (VU0463597 or
ML289) with a good overall CYP profile. ML289 is also highly selec-
l
l
protein binding with fraction unbound (fu) levels between 1% and
2% in both rat and and human plasma, respectively; fu deter-
mined in rat brain homogenate was 1%. Intrinsic clearance (CLint
)
determined in rat and human liver microsomes indicated that
compound 11 was rapidly cleared in vitro (rat, CLint = 240 mL/
min/kg; human, CLint = 571.8 mL/min/kg). An in vitro to in vivo
clearance correlation was established, as compound 11 was found
to be a moderately cleared compound in rat (CL = 33 mL/min/kg)
following intravenous administration (1 mg/kg); the low volume
of distribution at steady state (Vss 0.6 L/kg) and moderate clear-
ance produced a relatively short t1/2 (16.8 min) in vivo. Metabo-
lite ID studies in rat and human liver microsomes (Fig. 7)
indicated that the principle biotransformation pathway was
P450-mediated O-demethylation of 11 to generate the phenol
13, a metabolite that was subsequently shown to be inactive at
mGlu3 and mGlu5.
tive versus mGlu5, which is notable as our lead was a 0.27 lM
mGlu5 PAM, and suggests ligand cross-talk between allosteric
binding sites on mGlu3 and mGlu5. Once again, a subtle ‘molecular
switch’, in the form of a p-OMe moiety, conferred selective mGlu3
inhibition over mGlu5 potentiation. Further chemical optimization
efforts, as well as detailed molecular pharmacological character-
ization of ML289, are in progress and will be reported in due
course.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by grants from the NIH. Vanderbilt is a
Specialized Chemistry Center within the Molecular Libraries Probe
Centers Network (U54 MH84659).
As our earlier SAR work indicated that the methyl ether was
critical for mGlu3 NAM activity, we performed an IP plasma:brain
level (PBL) study to determine if we could achieve meaningful
CNS exposure if first-pass metabolism was bypassed. Signifi-
cantly, in a 10 mg/kg (10% Tween80 in 0.5% methylcellulose) IP
References and notes
plasma/brain level (PBL) study, we observed a brain (16.3
lM)/
plasma (9.7 M) ratio of 1.67, indicating that 11 (VU0463597)
was indeed centrally penetrant. Based on brain homogenate bind-
l
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Figure 6. Schild analysis of 11 (VU0463597). The concentration–response of
glutamate for mGlu3 GIRK is non-competitively inhibited by 11.