Process Development and Scale-Up of AZD7545, a PDK Inhibitor

Magnetically separable triazine-based Cu(ii)-vitamin B5 complex in nitromethane toward efficient heterogeneous cyanation reaction of aryl halides

In the current study, a highly efficient heterogeneous copper catalyst has been developed by supporting copper acetate on a magnetically separable triazine-vitamin B₅ system. After the successful characterization of the prepared nanoparticles by various techniques such as FT-IR, FE-SEM, EDX/MAP, XRD, TEM, TGA, VSM, and ICP-OES, the catalytic efficiency of them were evaluated in the cyanation reaction of aryl halides in the presence of nitromethane as a non-toxic and cost-effective cyanation source. The cyanation products were obtained in desirable yields. Notably, the magnetic nanocatalyst can be easily recovered and reused at least five times without a significant decrease in its performance.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDKs): an overview toward clinical applications

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) can regulate the catalytic activity of pyruvate decarboxylation oxidation via the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and it further links glycolysis with the tricarboxylic acid cycle and ATP generation. This review seeks to elucidate the regulation of PDK activity in different species, mainly mammals, and the role of PDK inhibitors in preventing increased blood glucose, reducing injury caused by myocardial ischemia, and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells. Regulations of PDKs expression or activity represent a very promising approach for treatment of metabolic diseases including diabetes, heart failure, and cancer. The future research and development could be more focused on the biochemical understanding of the diseases, which would help understand the cellular energy metabolism and its regulation by pharmacological effectors of PDKs.

A novel benzamide derivative protects ligature-induced alveolar bone erosion by inhibiting NFATc1-mediated osteoclastogenesis

Since elevated osteoclast formation and/or activity by inhibitory responses against pathogens leads to diverse osteolytic bone diseases including periodontitis, inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption has been a primary therapeutic strategy. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of a novel benzamide-linked molecule, OCLI-070, for preventing alveolar bone loss in mice with ligature-induced experimental periodontitis. OCLI-070 inhibited osteoclast formation by acting on both early and late stages of differentiation, and attenuated the induction of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) and the expression of osteoclast-specific genes. In addition, OCLI-070 significantly suppressed the formation of actin rings and resorption pits. Analysis of the inhibitory action of OCLI-070 showed that it markedly suppressed receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and NF-κB signaling cascades. Moreover, OCLI-070 prevented ligature-induced alveolar bone erosion in mice by suppressing osteoclast formation. These findings demonstrate that OCLI-070 attenuated osteoclast differentiation and function as well as ligature-induced bone erosion by inhibiting RANKL-mediated ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Mechanism of selective C–H cyanation of 2-phenylpyridine with benzyl nitrile catalyzed by CuBr: a DFT investigation

The mechanism of C–H cyanation of 2-phenylpyridine with 2-phenylacetonitrile catalyzed by the CuBr catalyst was elaborated based on DFT calculations.

Structure-based ligand design to overcome CYP inhibition in drug discovery projects

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are key players in xenobiotic metabolism, and inhibition of CYPs can therefore result in unwanted drug-drug interactions. Within drug discovery, CYP inhibition can cause delays in the progression of candidate drugs, or even premature closure of projects. During the past decade, a massive effort in the pharmaceutical industry and academic research has produced a wealth of structural information in the CYP field. In this short review, we will describe how structure-based approaches can be used in the pharmaceutical industry to work away from CYP inhibition, with a focus on the opportunities and challenges. We will show two examples from our own work where structural information on CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 inhibitor complexes have been successfully exploited in ongoing drug discovery projects.

Copper-catalyzed cyanation of arenes using benzyl nitrile as a cyanide anion surrogate

The copper-catalyzed cyanation of arenes using benzyl nitrile as a cyanide anion surrogate furnishes aromatic nitriles in moderate to good yields. The cascade process involves a copper-catalyzed aerobic C-H oxidation, a retro-cyanohydrination, and a copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative C-H functionalization.