Aromatic-Amine Pendants Produce Highly Potent and Efficacious Mixed Efficacy μ-Opioid Receptor (MOR)/δ-Opioid Receptor (DOR) Peptidomimetics with Enhanced Metabolic Stability

J Med Chem. 2020 Feb 27;63(4):1671-1683. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01818. Epub 2020 Feb 10.

Abstract

We previously reported a novel SAR campaign that converted a metabolically unstable series of μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist/δ-opioid receptor (DOR) antagonist bicyclic core peptidomimetics with promising analgesic activity and reduced abuse liabilities into a more stable series of benzylic core analogues. Herein, we expanded the SAR of that campaign and determined that the incorporation of amines into the benzylic pendant produces enhanced MOR-efficacy in this series, whereas the reincorporation of an aromatic ring into the pendant enhanced MOR-potency. Two compounds, which contain a piperidine (14) or an isoindoline (17) pendant, retained the desired opioid profile in vitro, possessed metabolic half-lives of greater than 1 h in mouse liver microsomes (MLMs), and were active antinociceptive agents in the acetic acid stretch assay (AASA) at subcutaneous doses of 1 mg/kg.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / chemical synthesis
  • Analgesics, Opioid / metabolism
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • CHO Cells
  • Cricetulus
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Molecular Structure
  • Peptidomimetics / chemical synthesis
  • Peptidomimetics / metabolism
  • Peptidomimetics / pharmacology*
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / agonists*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Peptidomimetics
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu