2-Chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidine-5-N-(3‘,5‘-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)- carboxamide:  A Potent Inhibitor of NF-κB- and AP-1-Mediated Gene Expression Identified Using Solution-Phase Combinatorial Chemistry

Described is the identification of a novel series of compounds that blocks the activation of two key transcription factors, AP-1 and NF-κB. These transcription factors regulate the expression of several critical proinflammatory proteins and cytokines and represent attractive targets for drug discovery. Through the use of high throughput screening and solution-phase parallel synthesis, inhibitors of both NF-κB and AP-1 were identified. In subsequent testing, these compounds were also shown to block both IL-2 and IL-8 levels in the same cells. One of the most potent compounds in this series, <BO>28</BO>, was active in several animal models of inflammation and immunosuppression, thus validating the importance of AP-1 and NF-κB as potential therapeutic targets. The synthesis and preliminary structure−activity relationships of these compounds is addressed.