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p38alpha MAP kinase is a key anti-inflammatory target for rheumatoid arthritis, influencing biosynthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFalpha and IL-1beta at a translational and transcriptional level. In this paper, we describe how we have optimized a series of novel p38alpha/beta inhibitors using crystal structures of our inhibitors bound to p38alpha, classical medicinal chemistry, and modeling of virtual libraries to derive a molecule suitable for progression into clinical development.

The biphenyl amides (BPAs) are a novel series of p38alpha MAP kinase inhibitor. The optimisation of the series to give compounds that are potent in an in vivo disease model is discussed. SAR is presented and rationalised with reference to the crystallographic binding mode.

The biphenyl amides (BPAs) are a series of p38alpha MAP kinase inhibitors. Compounds are able to bind to the kinase in either the DFG-in or DFG-out conformation, depending on substituents. X-ray, binding, kinetic and cellular data are shown, providing the most detailed comparison to date between potent compounds from the same chemical series that bind to different p38alpha conformations. DFG-out-binding compounds could be made more potent than DFG-in-binding compounds by increasing their size. Unexpectedly, compounds that bound to the DGF-out conformation showed diminished selectivity. The kinetics of binding to the isolated enzyme and the effects of compounds on cells were largely unaffected by the kinase conformation bound.