Discovery of amide replacements that improve activity and metabolic stability of a bis-amide smoothened antagonist hit

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2011 Sep 15;21(18):5206-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2011.07.052. Epub 2011 Jul 23.

Abstract

A bis-amide antagonist of Smoothened, a seven-transmembrane receptor in the Hedgehog signaling pathway, was discovered via high throughput screening. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the bis-amide was susceptible to N-acyl transferase mediated amide scission. Several bioisosteric replacements of the labile amide that maintained in vitro potency were identified and shown to be metabolically stable in vitro and in vivo.

MeSH terms

  • Acyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Acyltransferases / metabolism
  • Amides / chemistry
  • Amides / metabolism
  • Amides / pharmacology*
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Molecular Structure
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Amides
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Acyltransferases