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Subbaiah MAM, Rautio J, Meanwell NA. Prodrugs as empowering tools in drug discovery and development: recent strategic applications of drug delivery solutions to mitigate challenges associated with lead compounds and drug candidates. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:2099-2210. [PMID: 38226865 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00957a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The delivery of a drug to a specific organ or tissue at an efficacious concentration is the pharmacokinetic (PK) hallmark of promoting effective pharmacological action at a target site with an acceptable safety profile. Sub-optimal pharmaceutical or ADME profiles of drug candidates, which can often be a function of inherently poor physicochemical properties, pose significant challenges to drug discovery and development teams and may contribute to high compound attrition rates. Medicinal chemists have exploited prodrugs as an informed strategy to productively enhance the profiles of new chemical entities by optimizing the physicochemical, biopharmaceutical, and pharmacokinetic properties as well as selectively delivering a molecule to the site of action as a means of addressing a range of limitations. While discovery scientists have traditionally employed prodrugs to improve solubility and membrane permeability, the growing sophistication of prodrug technologies has enabled a significant expansion of their scope and applications as an empowering tool to mitigate a broad range of drug delivery challenges. Prodrugs have emerged as successful solutions to resolve non-linear exposure, inadequate exposure to support toxicological studies, pH-dependent absorption, high pill burden, formulation challenges, lack of feasibility of developing solid and liquid dosage forms, first-pass metabolism, high dosing frequency translating to reduced patient compliance and poor site-specific drug delivery. During the period 2012-2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 50 prodrugs, which amounts to 13% of approved small molecule drugs, reflecting both the importance and success of implementing prodrug approaches in the pursuit of developing safe and effective drugs to address unmet medical needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murugaiah A M Subbaiah
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Biocon Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Biocon Park, Bommasandra Phase IV, Bangalore, PIN 560099, India.
| | - Jarkko Rautio
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Nicholas A Meanwell
- The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA 18902, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The College of Pharmacy, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Specker G, Estrada D, Radi R, Piacenza L. Trypanosoma cruzi Mitochondrial Peroxiredoxin Promotes Infectivity in Macrophages and Attenuates Nifurtimox Toxicity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:749476. [PMID: 35186785 PMCID: PMC8855072 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.749476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease which is currently treated by nifurtimox (NFX) and benznidazole (BZ). Nevertheless, the mechanism of action of NFX is not completely established. Herein, we show the protective effects of T. cruzi mitochondrial peroxiredoxin (MPX) in macrophage infections and in response to NFX toxicity. After a 3-day treatment of epimastigotes with NFX, MPX content increased (2.5-fold) with respect to control, and interestingly, an MPX-overexpressing strain was more resistant to the drug. The generation of mitochondrial reactive species and the redox status of the low molecular weight thiols of the parasite were not affected by NFX treatment indicating the absence of oxidative stress in this condition. Since MPX was shown to be protective and overexpressed in drug-challenged parasites, non-classical peroxiredoxin activity was studied. We found that recombinant MPX exhibits holdase activity independently of its redox state and that its overexpression was also observed in temperature-challenged parasites. Moreover, increased holdase activity (2-fold) together with an augmented protease activity (proteasome-related) and an enhancement in ubiquitinylated proteins was found in NFX-treated parasites. These results suggest a protective role of MPX holdase activity toward NFX toxicity. Trypanosoma cruzi has a complex life cycle, part of which involves the invasion of mammalian cells, where parasite replication inside the host occurs. In the early stages of the infection, macrophages recognize and engulf T. cruzi with the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species toward the internalized parasite. Parasites overexpressing MPX produced higher macrophage infection yield compared with wild-type parasites. The relevance of peroxidase vs. holdase activity of MPX during macrophage infections was assessed using conoidin A (CA), a covalent, cell-permeable inhibitor of peroxiredoxin peroxidase activity. Covalent adducts of MPX were detected in CA-treated parasites, which proves its action in vivo. The pretreatment of parasites with CA led to a reduced infection index in macrophages revealing that the peroxidase activity of peroxiredoxin is crucial during this infection process. Our results confirm the importance of peroxidase activity during macrophage infection and provide insights for the relevance of MPX holdase activity in NFX resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Specker
- Departamento de Bioquímica and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Damián Estrada
- Departamento de Bioquímica and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Rafael Radi
- Departamento de Bioquímica and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucía Piacenza
- Departamento de Bioquímica and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Barrientos-Salcedo C, Espinoza B, Soriano-Correa C. Computational study of substituent effects on the physicochemical properties and chemical reactivity of selected antiparasitic 5-nitrofurans. J Mol Struct 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2018.06.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Scarim CB, Jornada DH, Chelucci RC, de Almeida L, Dos Santos JL, Chung MC. Current advances in drug discovery for Chagas disease. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 155:824-838. [PMID: 30033393 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) according to World Health Organization. It is estimated that 8-10 million people are infected worldwide, mainly in Latin America. Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is characterized by two phases: acute and chronic. The current therapy for Chagas disease is limited to drugs such as nifurtimox and benznidazole, which are effective in treating only the acute phase of the disease. In addition, several side effects ranging from hypersensitivity to bone marrow depression and peripheral polyneuropathy have been associated with these drugs. Therefore, the current challenge is to find new effective and safe drugs against this NTD. The aim of this review is to describe the advances in the medicinal chemistry of new anti-chagasic compounds reported in the literature in the last five years. We report promising prototypes for drug discovery identified through target-based and phenotype-based strategies and present some important targets for the development of new synthetic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cauê Benito Scarim
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
| | - Daniela Hartmann Jornada
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Consolin Chelucci
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Leticia de Almeida
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Brazil
| | - Jean Leandro Dos Santos
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Man Chin Chung
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
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Kijima A, Ishii Y, Takasu S, Matsushita K, Kuroda K, Hibi D, Suzuki Y, Nohmi T, Umemura T. Chemical structure-related mechanisms underlying in vivo genotoxicity induced by nitrofurantoin and its constituent moieties in gpt delta rats. Toxicology 2015; 331:125-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Serafim EOP, Silva ATDAE, Moreno ADH, Vizioli EDO, Ferreira EI, Peccinini RG, Ribeiro ML, Chung MC. Pharmacokinetics of hydroxymethylnitrofurazone, a promising new prodrug for Chagas' disease treatment. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:6106-9. [PMID: 24080661 PMCID: PMC3837917 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02522-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydroxymethylnitrofurazone (NFOH) is a trypanocidal prodrug of nitrofurazone (NF), devoid of mutagenic toxicity. The purpose of this work was to study the chemical conversion of NFOH into NF in sodium acetate buffer (pH 1.2 and 7.4) and in human plasma and to determine preclinical pharmacokinetic parameters in rats. At pH 1.2, the NFOH was totally transformed into NF, the parent drug, after 48 h, while at pH 7.4, after the same period, the hydrolysis rate was 20%. In human plasma, 50% of NFOH was hydrolyzed after 24 h. In the investigation of kinetic disposition, the concentration of drug in serum versus time curve was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters after a single-dose regimen. NFOH showed a time to maximum concentration of drug in serum (Tmax) as 1 h, suggesting faster absorption than NF (4 h). The most important results observed were the volume of distribution (V) of NFOH through the tissues, which showed a rate that is 20-fold higher (337.5 liters/kg of body weight) than that of NF (17.64 liters/kg), and the concentration of NF obtained by in vivo metabolism of NFOH, which was about four times lower (maximum concentration of drug in serum [Cmax] = 0.83 μg/ml; area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 h [AUC0-12] = 5.683 μg/ml · h) than observed for administered NF (Cmax = 2.78 μg/ml; AUC0-12 = 54.49 μg/ml · h). These findings can explain the superior activity and lower toxicity of the prodrug NFOH in relation to its parent drug and confirm NFOH as a promising anti-Chagas' disease drug candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Ometto Pavan Serafim
- Lapdesf, Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemical Institute, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Andréia de Haro Moreno
- Lapdesf, Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Ednir de Oliveira Vizioli
- Lapdesf, Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Igne Ferreira
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosângela Gonçalves Peccinini
- Department of Natural Drugs and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Lucia Ribeiro
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemical Institute, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Man Chin Chung
- Lapdesf, Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo State, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
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Lu J, Vodnala SK, Gustavsson AL, Gustafsson TN, Sjöberg B, Johansson HA, Kumar S, Tjernberg A, Engman L, Rottenberg ME, Holmgren A. Ebsulfur is a benzisothiazolone cytocidal inhibitor targeting the trypanothione reductase of Trypanosoma brucei. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:27456-27468. [PMID: 23900839 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.495101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei is the causing agent of African trypanosomiasis. These parasites possess a unique thiol redox system required for DNA synthesis and defense against oxidative stress. It includes trypanothione and trypanothione reductase (TryR) instead of the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin systems of mammalian hosts. Here, we show that the benzisothiazolone compound ebsulfur (EbS), a sulfur analogue of ebselen, is a potent inhibitor of T. brucei growth with a favorable selectivity index over mammalian cells. EbS inhibited the TryR activity and decreased non-protein thiol levels in cultured parasites. The inhibition of TryR by EbS was irreversible and NADPH-dependent. EbS formed a complex with TryR and caused oxidation and inactivation of the enzyme. EbS was more toxic for T. brucei than for Trypanosoma cruzi, probably due to lower levels of TryR and trypanothione in T. brucei. Furthermore, inhibition of TryR produced high intracellular reactive oxygen species. Hydrogen peroxide, known to be constitutively high in T. brucei, enhanced the EbS inhibition of TryR. The elevation of reactive oxygen species production in parasites caused by EbS induced a programmed cell death. Soluble EbS analogues were synthesized and cured T. brucei brucei infection in mice when used together with nifurtimox. Altogether, EbS and EbS analogues disrupt the trypanothione system, hampering the defense against oxidative stress. Thus, EbS is a promising lead for development of drugs against African trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Lu
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics
| | | | - Anna-Lena Gustavsson
- Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Translational Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas N Gustafsson
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics
| | - Birger Sjöberg
- Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Translational Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik A Johansson
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics; Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Lars Engman
- Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Arne Holmgren
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
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