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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to hepatic pathologies, including simple fatty liver (SFL), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis, that may progress to hepatocellular carcinoma. These liver disease states may affect the activity and expression levels of drug-metabolizing enzymes, potentially resulting in an alteration in the pharmacokinetics, therapeutic efficacy, and safety of drugs. This study investigated the hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2B1-modulating effect of a specific NAFLD state in dietary rat models. Sprague-Dawley rats were given a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) or high-fat (HF) diet to induce NASH and SFL, respectively. The induction of these disease states was confirmed by plasma chemistry and liver histological analysis. Both the protein and mRNA levels of hepatic CYP2B1 were considerably reduced in MCD diet-fed rats; however, they were similar between the HF diet-fed and control rats. Consistently, the enzyme-kinetic and pharmacokinetic parameters for CYP2B1-mediated bupropion metabolism were considerably reduced in MCD diet-fed rats; however, they were also similar between the HF diet-fed and control rats. These results may promote a better understanding of the influence of NAFLD on CYP2B1-mediated metabolism, which could have important implications for the safety and pharmacokinetics of drug substrates for the CYP2B subfamily in patients with NAFLD.

Phytosphingosine and methyl derivatives are important mediators on cellular processes, and are associated with cell growth and death. The antitumor activity of N,N,N-trimethylphytosphingosine-iodide (TMP) as a novel potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and metastasis was evaluated in B16F10 murine melanoma cells. The results indicated that TMP itself effectively inhibited in vitro cell migration, tube formation, and the expression of angiogenic factors as well as in vivo lung metastasis. However, TMP slightly suppressed in vivo experimental tumor metastasis in its free form and induced side effects including hemolysis and local side effects. Therefore, in an attempt to reduce the toxicity and the undesirable side effects of TMP, a liposomal formulation was prepared and tested for its effectiveness. TMP liposomes retained the effectiveness of TMP in vitro while side effects were reduced, and both in vivo experimental and spontaneous tumor metastasis were significantly suppressed. These results support the conclusion that TMP effectively inhibits in vitro angiogenesis as well as in vivo metastasis, and a liposomal formulation is more efficient delivery system for TMP treatment than solution.

The effect of fatty acids on the skin permeation of donepezil base (DPB) and its hydrochloride salt (DPH) were studied in vitro using hairless mouse and human cadaver skin. DPB and DPH were solubilized in propylene glycol (PG) containing 1% (w/v) fatty acid, after which the in vitro permeation through hairless mouse skin and human cadaver skin were evaluated using Keshary-Chien diffusion cells. The optimized formulation obtained from the in vitro study was then tested in rats for an in vivo pharmacokinetic study. The relative in vitro skin permeation rate of donepezil (DP) through the hairless mouse skin showed a parabolic relationship with increased carbon length of the fatty acid enhancers. Among the fatty acids tested, oleic acid for DPB and palmitoleic acid for DPH showed the highest enhancing effect, respectively. Both the permeation rates of DPB and DPH evaluated in human cadaver skin were in good correlation with those in hairless mouse skin, regardless of the presence of fatty acids. This suggests that the mouse skin model serves as a useful in vitro system that satisfactorily represents the characteristics of the human skin. Moreover, based on the in vitro results, the optimal formulation that could maintain the human plasma concentration of 50 ng/mL was determined to be 10mg DP with 1% (w/v) enhancer. When the DP transdermal formulations were applied to the abdominal skin of rats (2.14 cm(2)), the C(ss) was maintained for 48 h, among which the highest value of 52.21 ± 2.09 ng/mL was achieved with the DPB formulation using oleic acid. These results showed that fatty acids could enhance the transdermal delivery of DP and suggested the feasibility of developing a novel transdermal delivery system for clinical use.

Summary: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relative contribution of the direct pathway in overall brain transport for 17 model drugs with different physicochemical properties after nasal administrations and to identify factors that govern the fraction of the dose transported to the brain via the direct pathway (F a direct ). When the model drugs were nasally administered to rats, 5 of the 17 model drugs were delivered to a significant extent to the brain via the direct pathway. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the correlation between various physicochemical properties and Fa, direct was not statistically significant, indicative of a lack of primary physicochemical determinants in the direct transport pathway. Transporters such as rOAT3 and rOCT2 were expressed at significant levels in rat olfactory epithelia, and uptakes of standard substrates were significantly decreased in HEK293 cells expressing rOAT3 and rOCT2 in the presence of the five model drugs that were delivered to appreciable extents to the brain via the direct pathway. Therefore, these observations indicate that carrier-mediated transport may play a role in the brain delivery of drugs from the nose via the direct transport pathway.

Evaluating biliary excretion, a major elimination pathway for many compounds, is important in drug discovery. The bile duct-cannulated (BDC) rat model is commonly used to determine the percentage of dose excreted as intact parent into bile. However, a study using BDC rats is time-consuming and cost-ineffective. The present report describes a computational model that has been established to predict biliary excretion of intact parent in rats as a percentage of dose. The model was based on biliary excretion data of 50 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. compounds with diverse chemical structures. The compounds were given intravenously at

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of a phenolic antioxidant, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and its metabolite, tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) on the induction of HO-1, NQO1 and Nrf2 proteins and their regulatory mechanisms in primary-cultured hepatocytes. After exposure of BHA and tBHQ to primary-cultured rat and human hepatocytes and mouse neonatal fibroblasts (MFs), Western blot, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and microarray analysis were conducted. Induction of HO-1, NQO1 and Nrf2 proteins and activation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 were observed after BHA and tBHQ treatments in primary-cultured rat and human hepatocytes. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR study and microarray analysis revealed that HO-1 and NQO1 were transcriptionally activated in primary-cultured rat hepatocytes and a substantial transcriptional activation, including HO-1 occurred in primary-cultured human hepatocytes after BHA treatment. Whereas BHA failed to induce HO-1 in wild-type and Nrf2 knock-out MFs, tBHQ strongly induced HO-1 in wild-type, but not in Nrf2 knock-out MFs. Our data demonstrate that both BHA and tBHQ are strong chemical inducers of HO-1, NQO1 and Nrf2 proteins in primary-cultured human and rat hepatocytes with the activation of MAPK ERK1/2 and JNK1/2. However, in MFs, BHA failed to induce HO-1, whereas tBHQ strongly induced HO-1 in Nrf2 wild-type but not in Nrf2 knock-out, suggesting that Nrf2 is indispensable for tBHQ-induced HO-1 in MF.

Fexofenadine has been identified as a substrate for both the efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), as well as the influx transporter, organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP). Clinical studies in humans showed that fruit juices reduced the oral bioavailability of fexofenadine by preferentially inhibiting OATP over P-gp. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fruit juices on the oral absorption of fexofenadine in rats to establish a preclinical fruit juice-drug interaction model. In rats, fexofenadine was excreted unchanged in the urine, bile, and gastrointestinal tract, indicating minimal metabolism, making it an ideal probe to study transport processes. Coadministration of fexofenadine with ketoconazole, a P-gp inhibitor, increased the oral exposure of fexofenadine by 187%. In contrast, coadministration of fexofenadine with orange juice or apple juice to rats decreased the oral exposure of fexofenadine by 31 and 22%, respectively. Increasing the quantity of orange or apple juice administered further decreased the oral exposure of fexofenadine, by 40 and 28%, respectively. This reduction in fexofenadine bioavailability was moderate compared to that seen in humans. These findings suggest that in rats fruit juices may also preferentially inhibit OATP rather than P-gp-mediated transport in fexofenadine oral absorption, albeit to a lesser extent than observed in humans. This fruit juice--drug interaction rat model may be useful in prediction of potential food--drug interactions in humans for drug candidates.

BMS-387032, a novel cyclin-dependent kinase 2 inhibitor, is currently in phase I clinical trials for anticancer therapy. The oral bioavailability of BMS-387032 has been found to be about 31% in rats. Absorption and first-pass metabolism were evaluated as possible reasons for the incomplete oral bioavailability in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given single doses of BMS-387032 intraarterially (9.1 mg/kg), orally (9.1 mg/kg), or intraportally (10 mg/kg). The routes of excretion of BMS-387032 after intravenous dosing were investigated in bile-duct-cannulated rats. The rate of metabolism of BMS-387032 was investigated in liver microsomes. The permeability of BMS-387032 was evaluated using Caco-2 cells, an in vitro model of the intestinal epithelium. To determine if BMS-387032 was a P-glycoprotein substrate, brain uptake studies were conducted in P-glycoprotein knockout versus wildtype mice. The exposure in rats after an intraportal dose was similar to that after an intraarterial dose, indicating that absorption may play a greater role than liver first-pass metabolism in the low oral bioavailability seen in rats. After an intravenous dose, the percent of dose excreted unchanged in the urine and bile over a 9-h period was 28% and 11%, respectively. In vitro studies in rat liver microsomes showed low rates of metabolism of BMS-387032. The Caco-2 cell permeability of BMS-387032 was

Novel pyrazolopyridopyridazine derivatives have been prepared as potent and selective PDE5 inhibitors. Compound 6 has been identified as a more potent and selective PDE5 inhibitor than sildenafil (1). It is as efficacious as sildenafil in in vitro and in vivo PDE5 inhibition models, and it is orally bioavailable in rats and dogs. The superior isozyme selectivity of 6 is expected to exert less adverse effects in humans when used for erectile dysfunction treatment.

Puerarin (8-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) is a major pharmacological component of Puerariae Radix, the root of Pueraria lobata. We investigated the effect of puerarin on hepatic cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism in rats and humans. The in vitro cytochrome P450 inhibitory effect of puerarin in human and rat liver microsomes was evaluated using the following model cytochrome P450 substrates: phenacetin for CYP1A, diclofenac for CYP2C, dextromethorphan for CYP2D, and testosterone for CYP3A. The in vivo pharmacokinetics of intravenous and oral buspirone, a probe substrate for CYP3A, was studied with single simultaneous intravenous coadministration of puerarin in rats. In the in vitro cytochrome P450 inhibition study, the rate of disappearance of testosterone was significantly reduced in the presence of 10 µM PU, while that of other cytochrome P450 substrates was not significantly affected in both human and rat liver microsomes, suggesting that puerarin inhibits the in vitro hepatic CYP3A-mediated metabolism in the human and rat systems (IC50 = 15.5 ± 3.9 µM). After intravenous administration of buspirone with single simultaneous coadministration of intravenous puerarin at a dose of 10 mg/kg in rats, the total area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time zero to time infinity was increased while time-averaged total body clearance decreased. When buspirone was orally administered in rats with the 10 mg/kg intravenous puerarin coadministration, both total area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time zero to time infinity and the extent of absolute oral bioavailability were significantly increased. Therefore, results of the in vitro microsomal and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies suggest the possible inhibition of hepatic CYP3A-mediated drug metabolism by puerarin administration, potentially leading to metabolism-mediated herb–drug interactions with clinical significance.

The oral bioavailability of BMS-183920, a diacidic, potent angiotensin II receptor antagonist, is low in rats (approximately 11%). In vivo studies in bile duct-cannulated rats indicated that BMS-183920 was metabolically stable and that the low bioavailability was due to incomplete intestinal absorption. Five acyl-ester prodrugs were synthesized which were 5-15 times more permeable than BMS-183920 through Caco-2 cells. However, limited studies in rats indicated that the oral bioavailability of BMS-183920 was improved only 2-fold, in the best case. The lack of a substantial increase in bioavailability was apparently due to presystemic prodrug hydrolysis or metabolism via N-glucuronidation. Bioavailability of BMS-183920 after oral dosing of a tetrazole-ester prodrug averaged 37%, the most significant improvement within this prodrug series. Interestingly, in vitro studies indicated that the tetrazole-ester prodrug was a substrate for glucuronosyl transferase; however, its rate of bioactivation (hydrolysis) was sufficiently high to provide a substantial increase in bioavailability of BMS-183920. Therefore, while prodrug modification of BMS-183920 improved Caco-2 cell permeability and oral absorption in vivo, the relative extents of hydrolysis (bioactivation) vs metabolism of the prodrug determined whether a substantial improvement in bioavailability was achieved.

The oral (po) bioavailability of gemifloxacin mesylate in rats and its possible association with efflux transporters was investigated. The apparent permeabilities (Papp) of gemifloxacin across the Caco-2 cell monolayer were 1.20 ± 0.09 × 10(-5) cm/s for apical to basal (absorptive) transport, and 2.13 ± 0.6 × 10(-5) cm/s for basal to apical (secretory) transport for a 5-500 μM concentration range, suggesting the involvement of a carrier-mediated efflux in the secretory transport. The secretory transport in Caco-2 cells was significantly decreased by MRP2 (MK571) and BCRP (Ko143) inhibitors. The secretory transport was distinct in MDCKII/P-gp, MDCKII/MRP2 and MDCKII/BCRP cells, and the affinity was highest for MRP2, followed by BCRP and P-gp. The efflux was significantly decreased by verapamil and Ko143, but not significantly by MK571. The comparative po bioavailability in rats was increased by the preadministration of Ko143 (four-fold), MK571 (two-fold) and verapamil (two-fold). Efflux transporters appeared to significantly limit the bioavailability of gemifloxacin in rats, suggesting their possible contribution to the low bioavailability of the drug in the human (70%).

Identifying kinetic determinants of hepatic elimination of drugs would be crucial for better understanding its pharmacokinetics and predicting drug interactions. Present study investigated the kinetics of sinusoidal uptake of docetaxel and its impact on the overall hepatic elimination of docetaxel in rats. The non-renal clearance (CL(NR); hepatic elimination) of docetaxel were significantly reduced by co-administration of intravenous rifampicin, a potent inhibitor of organic anion transporting peptides (OATPs; Oatps), at a dose of 20 mg/kg. Docetaxel uptake into isolated rat hepatocytes was found to be temperature/concentration/energy-dependent, saturable, and reduced by Oatps inhibitors (rifampicin and bromosulfophthalein). Moreover, docetaxel uptake into perfused rat liver was significantly reduced in the presence of 10-µM rifampicin. However, docetaxel metabolism in rat hepatic microsome was not affected by rifampicin at less than 50 µM. Based on the comparison of intrinsic clearances related to hepatic clearance, it can be suggested that sinusoidal uptake could be the rate-determining process in the overall hepatic elimination of docetaxel in rats.

To evaluate the usefulness of hematoporphyrin (HP)-modification of the surface of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles (NPs) in the liver cancer-selective delivery of DOX.HP-modified NPs (HP-NPs) were prepared by conjugation of amino groups on the surface of NPs with HP, a ligand for low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors on the hepatoma cells. In vitro cellular accumulation of DOX, in vivo biodistribution of DOX, safety, and anti-tumor efficacy were evaluated for HP-NPs.Cytotoxicity and accumulation of DOX were in the order of HP-NPsNPssolution form (SOL). Cellular uptake from HP-NPs was proportional to the expression level of LDL receptors on the cells, indicating possible involvement of LDL receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) in uptake. The "merit index," an AUC ratio of DOX in liver (target organ) to DOX in heart (major side effect organ) following iv administration of HP-NPs to hepatoma rats, was 132.5 and 4 times greater compared to SOL and NPs, respectively. The greatest suppression of body weight decrease and tumor size increase was observed for iv-administered HP-NPs in tumor-bearing mice.HP modification appears to be useful in selective delivery of NP-loaded DOX to tumors.

The objective of this study was to characterize the systemic and tissue kinetics of 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-5-(3-methoxypropyl) benzofuran (SNU-0039), an inhibitor of β-amyloid protein aggregation, in rats. Simultaneous fitting of the data to polyexponential equations indicated that the systemic clearance and steady state volume of distribution were estimated to be 0.0220 l/min/kg and 2.33 l/kg. The clearance and volume of distribution were not dependent on the intravenous dose, in the range from 5 to 20 mg/kg. The tissue (i.e., the brain, liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, lungs, gut, muscle and adipose tissue) to plasma partition coefficients (K(p)) for SNU-0039 in rats ranged from a low of 0.779 ± 0.314 (muscle) to a high of 5.71 ± 1.66 (liver). The recoveries of DMB were less than 1% of the dose for the renal and biliary excretion, indicative of minor involvements of these pathways in overall elimination. The fraction of bound SNU-0039 to plasma protein was approximately 95.9% and the fraction of SNU-0039 distributed to blood cells was approximately 45.3%. Assuming a flow-limited distribution, the simulated concentration profiles for SNU-0039 in the physiologically based pharmacokinetic model were in reasonable agreement with the observed concentrations in plasma and nine tissues in rats.

The N,N'-disubstituted cyanoguanidine is an excellent bioisostere of the thiourea and ketene aminal functional groups. We report the design and synthesis of a novel class of cyanoguanidine-based lactam derivatives as potent and orally active FXa inhibitors. The SAR studies led to the discovery of compound 4 (BMS-269223, K(i)=6.5nM, EC(2xPT)=32muM) as a selective, orally bioavailable FXa inhibitor with an excellent in vitro liability profile, favorable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in animal models. The X-ray crystal structure of 4 bound in FXa is presented and key ligand-protein interactions are discussed.

BMS-262084 is a potent and selective beta-lactam tryptase inhibitor with therapeutic potential for treating asthma. The oral bioavailability of BMS-262084 was low in rats (4% at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg) due to poor absorption. BMS-262084 was excreted mainly unchanged in the urine, suggesting minimal metabolism in rats. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of oral absorption of BMS-262084 in rats. Modulation of intestinal tight junctions, binding to trypsin, and involvement of the intestinal dipeptide transport system and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the absorption of BMS-262084 were examined. Coadministration of BMS-262084 with SQ-29852, a substrate of the intestinal dipeptide transport system, did not change the oral absorption of BMS-262084. An increase in the dose of BMS-262084 from 0.5 to 50 mg/kg resulted in a 3.7-fold increase in its oral absorption. Inulin absorption was enhanced upon coadministration with BMS-262084, suggesting the opening of tight junctions in the intestinal epithelium. Coadministration of aprotinin, a trypsin inhibitor, increased the oral absorption of BMS-262084 several fold. In vitro, using Caco-2 cells, BMS-262084 appeared to be a P-gp substrate, with an efflux ratio of 14. These results suggest that absorption of BMS-262084 is mediated by several concurrent mechanisms. At higher doses of BMS-262084, increased absorption may be primarily due to opening of tight junctions in the intestinal epithelium and consequent absorption via the paracellular pathway, while at lower doses, binding to trypsin may contribute to limiting its absorption. P-gp efflux may also play a role in influencing the absorption of BMS-262084. The intestinal dipeptide transporter system does not appear to be involved in the absorption of BMS-262084.

Tween 80 (Polysorbate 80) is a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant commonly used as an ingredient in dosing vehicles for pre-clinical in vivo studies (e.g., pharmacokinetic studies, etc.). Tween 80 increased apical to basolateral permeability of digoxin in Caco-2 cells suggesting that Tween 80 is an in vitro inhibitor of P-gp. The overall objective of the present study was to investigate whether an inhibition of P-gp by Tween 80 can potentially influence in vivo absorption of P-gp substrates by evaluating the effect of Tween 80 on the disposition of digoxin (a model P-gp substrate with minimum metabolism) after oral administration in rats. Rats were dosed orally with digoxin (0.2 mg/kg) formulated in ethanol (40%, v/v) and saline mixture with and without Tween 80 (1 or 10%, v/v). Digoxin oral AUC increased 30 and 61% when dosed in 1% and 10% Tween 80, respectively, compared to control (P < 0.05). To further examine whether the increase in digoxin AUC after oral administration of Tween 80 is due, in part, to a systemic inhibition of digoxin excretion in addition to an inhibition of P-gp in the GI tract, a separate group of rats received digoxin intravenously (0.2 mg/kg) and Tween 80 (10% v/v) orally. No significant changes in digoxin IV AUC was noted when Tween 80 was administered orally. In conclusion, Tween 80 significantly increased digoxin AUC and Cmax after oral administration, and the increased AUC is likely to be due to an inhibition of P-gp in the gut (i.e., improved absorption). Therefore, Tween 80 is likely to improve systemic exposure of P-gp substrates after oral administration. Comparing AUC after oral administration with and without Tween 80 may be a viable strategy in evaluating whether oral absorption of P-gp substrates is potentially limited by P-gp in the gut.

Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that is widely used for the treatment of congestive heart failure. To evaluate pharmacokinetics of digoxin in rats, a sensitive LC/MS/MS assay was developed and validated for the determination of digoxin concentration in rat plasma. For detection, a Sciex API3000 LC/MS/MS with atmospheric pressure ionization (API) mass spectrometry turbo ion spray inlet in the positive ion-multiple reaction monitoring mode was used to monitor precursor-->product ions of m/z 798.6-->651.6 for digoxin and m/z 577.6-->433.3 for oleandrin, the internal standard (IS). The standard curve was linear (r(2)>or=0.999) over the digoxin concentration range of 0.1-100 ng/ml in plasma for digoxin. The mean predicted concentrations of the quality control samples deviated by

To characterize the paracellular route of 2/4/A1 monolayers and to compare the permeabilities of incompletely absorbed oral drugs in 2/4/A1 with those in Caco-2 monolayers.The cells were cultivated on permeable supports. The 2/4/ A1 expression of genes associated with tight junctions was compared with that in the small intestine using RT-PCR. The aqueous pore radii were determined using paracellular marker molecules. The permeabilities of a series of incompletely absorbed drugs (defined as having a fraction absorbed 0 to 80%) after oral administration to humans were studied.Occludin and claudin 1 and 3 were expressed in 2/4/A1. The pore radius of 2/4/A1 was 9.0 +/- 0.2 A. which is similar to that in the human small intestine, although the pore radius was smaller (3.7 +/- 0.1 A) in Caco-2. The relationship between permeability and fraction absorbed of 13 drugs was stronger in 2/4/A1 than in Caco-2. The relationships were used to predict the intestinal absorption of another seven drugs. The prediction was more accurate in 2/4/A1 (RMSE = 15.6%) than in Caco-2 (RMSE = 21.1%). Further, Spearman's rank coefficient between FA and permeability was higher in 2/4/A1.The improved 2/4/A1 cell culture model has a more in vivo-like permeability and predicted the oral absorption of incompletely absorbed drugs better than Caco-2 cells.

In vivo clearance of BMS-182874 was primarily due to metabolism via stepwise N-demethylation. Despite in vivo clearance approached ca 50% of the total liver plasma flow, BMS-182874 was completely bioavailable after oral administration in rats. Saturable first-pass metabolism and the role of extrahepatic tissue were evaluated as possible reasons for complete oral bioavailability despite extensive metabolic clearance. Pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained after an intravenous and a range of oral doses of BMS-182874 in rats. Bile and urine were collected from bile-duct cannulated (BDC) rats and the in vivo metabolic pathways of BMS-182874 were evaluated. Pharmacokinetics of BMS-182874 were also compared in nephrectomized (renally impaired) vs. sham-operated control rats. Oral bioavailability of BMS-182874 averaged 100%, indicating that BMS-182874 was completely absorbed and the first-pass metabolism (liver or intestine) was negligible. The AUC and Cmax values increased dose-proportionally, indicating kinetics were linear within the oral dose range of 13 to 290 mmole/kg. After intravenous administration of BMS-182874 to BDC rats, about 2% of intact BMS-182874 was recovered in excreta, indicating that BMS-182874 was cleared primarily via metabolism in vivo. The major metabolite circulating in plasma was the mono-N-desmethyl metabolite and the major metabolite recovered in excreta was the di-N-desmethyl metabolite. In vivo clearance of BMS-182874 was significantly reduced in nephrectomized rats. These observations suggest saturable first-pass metabolism is unlikely to be a mechanism for complete oral bioavailability of BMS-182874. Reduced clearance observed in the nephrectomized rats suggests that extrahepatic tissues (e.g., kidneys) may play an important role in the in vivo clearance of xenobiotics that are metabolized via N-demethylation.

We have previously disclosed the selective ET(A) receptor antagonist N-(3,4-dimethyl-5-isoxazolyl)-4'-(2-oxazolyl)[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-sulfonamide (1, BMS-193884) as a clinical development candidate. Additional SAR studies at the 2'-position of 1 led to the identification of several analogues with improved binding affinity as well as selectivity for the ET(A) receptor. Following the discovery that a 3-amino-isoxazole group displays significantly improved metabolic stability in comparison to its 5-regioisomer, the 3-amino-isoxazole group was combined with the optimal 2'-substituent leading to 16a (BMS-207940). Compound 16a is an extremely potent (ET(A) K(i) = 10 pM) and selective (80,000-fold for ET(A) vs ET(B)) antagonist. It is also 150-fold more potent and >6-fold more selective than 1. The bioavailability of 16a was 100% in rats and the systemic clearance and volume of distribution are higher than that of 1. In rats, intravenous 16a blocks big ET pressor responses with 30-fold greater potency than 1. After oral dosing at 3 micromol/kg, 16a displays enhanced duration relative to 1.

The ET(A) receptor antagonist (2) (N-(3,4-dimethyl-5-isoxazolyl)-4'-(2-oxazolyl)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-sulfonamide, BMS-193884) shares the same biphenyl core as a large number of AT(1) receptor antagonists, including irbesartan (3). Thus, it was hypothesized that merging the structural elements of 2 with those of the biphenyl AT(1) antagonists (e.g., irbesartan) would yield a compound with dual activity for both receptors. This strategy led to the design, synthesis, and discovery of (15) (4'-[(2-butyl-4-oxo-1,3-diazaspiro[4.4]non-1-en-3-yl)methyl]-N-(3,4-dimethyl-5-isoxazolyl)-2'-[(3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-sulfonamide, BMS-248360) as a potent and orally active dual antagonist of both AT(1) and ET(A) receptors. Compound 15 represents a new approach to treating hypertension.

Continuing structure-activity studies were performed on the 2,3,4, 5-tetrahydro-1-(imidazol-4-ylalkyl)-1,4-benzodiazepine farnesyltransferase (FT) inhibitors. These studies demonstrated that a 3(R)-phenylmethyl group, a hydrophilic 7-cyano group, and a 4-sulfonyl group bearing a variety of substituents provide low-nanomolar FT inhibitors with cellular activity at concentrations below 100 nM. Maximal in vivo activity in the mutated K-Ras bearing HCT-116 human colon tumor model was achieved with analogues carrying hydrophobic side chains such as propyl, phenyl, or thienyl attached to the N-4 sulfonyl group. Several such compounds achieved curative efficacy when given orally in this model. On the basis of its excellent preclinical antitumor activity and promising pharmacokinetics, compound 20 (BMS-214662, (R)-7-cyano-2,3,4, 5-tetrahydro-1-(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-3-(phenylmethyl)-4-(2-thie nyl sulfonyl)-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine) has been advanced into human clinical trials.

Peptidic drugs such as β -lactam aminocephalosporin antibiotics (e.g., cephalexin) and the ACE inhibitors lisinopril, quinapril, and benzazepril are apparently absorbed, at least in part, by the intestinal dipeptide transporter system (DTS). Although many properties of the DTS have been elucidated, including isolation of the carrier protein, little is known about the distribution of this transporter along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The objectives of the present study were to (1) validate that SQ-29852 (a lysylproline ACE inhibitor) is a stable and specific probe for evaluation of the DTS in rats and (2) provide fundamental in vivo information on the distribution of the DTS along the GI tract of rats. Most of the previous studies that explored the location of the DTS typically involved either in vitro uptake or in situ disappearance of unstable or nonspecific probes. SQ-29852, on the other hand, is an ideal probe for evaluation of the DTS because it is chemically and metabolically stable and it is absorbed almost exclusively by the DTS. SQ-29852 appears to be a specific probe for the DTS because the dose-dependent reduction in absorption from about 60% to less than 8% (3 and 3000 mg/kg, respectively) suggests that at least 85% of an orally administered low dose of SQ-29852 is absorbed by a saturable process, which was shown previously to be the DTS. [ 14 C]SQ-29852 was administered by gavage to intact rats and via an indwelling cannula in one of the following sections of the intestine: duodenum, jejunum, ileum and proximal colon ( n = 4 for each site). On the basis of the recovery of [ 14 C]SQ-29852 in urine, the DTS is apparently distributed throughout the entire GI tract of rats, including the proximal colon. The present results are consistent with previously reported results on the absorption of natural dipeptides in humans and rats and immunohistochemical evaluation in rats; however, they disagree with a recent report in humans with amoxicillin. This difference is discussed in terms of the specificity and stability of various drugs that have been used as probes of the DTS.

The in vitro degradation of nitroglycerin (NTG) and its dinitrate metabolites in human blood and red blood cells (RBC) has been shown to exhibit apparent first-order kinetics. The decay rates of NTG and its dinitrate metabolites, however, were dependent on the initial concentration. We showed that this unusual kinetic behavior can be described mathematically by models of Michaelis–Menten kinetics combined with either competitive product inhibition or cosubstrate depletion. Experimental studies were conducted to determine the relative contribution of these two mechanisms to the observed kinetics. The effect of added thiols (the likely cosubstrates) on [14C]NTG degradation was studied separately in whole blood, reconstituted RBC, lysed RBC, and plasma. N-Acetylcysteine, l-cysteine, and d-cysteine accelerated NTG degradation in whole blood, while a similar concentration of glutathione had no effect. However, all four thiols exerted no effect on NTG kinetics in reconstituted and lysed RBC. In contrast, these thiols, as well as dithiothreitol, produced a marked increase (3–14 fold) in NTG degradation rate in plasma compared with buffer controls. Since thiol replenishment in reconstituted and lysed RBC did not abolish the concentration dependency, cosubstrate depletion due to thiols appeared unimportant as a contributor to the kinetic phenomenon. In human blood, metabolite inhibition of NTG degradation occurred along with the existence of concentration dependency. Both phenomena, however, were absent when NTG degradation was examined in rat blood. Concentration-dependent degradation in human blood was not observed for glyceryl-1-mononitrate, a compound that does not produce a nitrated metabolite. These results suggest, therefore, that product inhibition of nitrate degradation in human blood requires the metabolite to possess a nitrate group, and that this process probably contributes to the concentration dependency observed in the in vitro degradation of NTG and its dinitrate metabolites in human blood.