Physicochemical property trends of marketed prodrugs

Prodrugs for colon-restricted delivery: Design, synthesis, and in vivo evaluation of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitors

The ability to restrict low molecular weight compounds to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may enable an enhanced therapeutic index for molecular targets known to be associated with systemic toxicity. Using a triazolopyrazine CSF1R inhibitor scaffold, a broad range of prodrugs were synthesized and evaluated for enhanced delivery to the colon in mice. Subsequently, the preferred cyclodextrin prodrug moiety was appended to a number of CSF1R inhibitory active parent molecules, enabling GI-restricted delivery. Evaluation of a cyclodextrin prodrug in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis model resulted in enhanced GI tissue levels of active parent. At a dose where no significant depletion of systemic monocytes were detected, the degree of pharmacodynamic effect-measured as reduction in macrophages in the colon-was inferior to that observed with a systemically available positive control. This suggests that a suitable therapeutic index cannot be achieved with CSF1R inhibition by using GI-restricted delivery in mice. However, these efforts provide a comprehensive frame-work in which to pursue additional gut-restricted delivery strategies for future GI targets.

Self-assembling prodrugs

Covalent modification of therapeutic compounds is a clinically proven strategy to devise prodrugs with enhanced treatment efficacies. This prodrug strategy relies on the modified drugs that possess advantageous pharmacokinetic properties and administration routes over their parent drug. Self-assembling prodrugs represent an emerging class of therapeutic agents capable of spontaneously associating into well-defined supramolecular nanostructures in aqueous solutions. The self-assembly of prodrugs expands the functional space of conventional prodrug design, affording a possible pathway to more effective therapies as the assembled nanostructure possesses distinct physicochemical properties and interaction potentials that can be tailored to specific administration routes and disease treatment. In this review, we will discuss the various types of self-assembling prodrugs in development, providing an overview of the methods used to control their structure and function and, ultimately, our perspective on their current and future potential.

Synthesis and evaluation of haloperidol metabolite II prodrugs as anticancer agents

The use of haloperidol metabolite II (HP-metabolite II) prodrugs is an emerging strategy in the treatment of cancer. HP-metabolite II exhibits antiproliferative properties at micromolar concentrations inducing apoptosis in different types of cancer. Thus, the application of the prodrug approach appears as a useful method leading to much more desirable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Some studies have shown that the esterification of the hydroxyl group of HP-metabolite II with 4-phenylbutiric acid (4-PBA) or valproic acid enhances the anticancer therapeutic potency. The current progresses in the design, synthesis and evaluation of anticancer activity of HP metabolite II prodrugs will be discussed in this review.

The discovery of a potent Nav1.3 inhibitor with good oral pharmacokinetics

In this article, we describe the discovery of an aryl ether series of potent and selective Na_v1.3 inhibitors. Based on structural analogy to a similar series of compounds we have previously shown bind to the domain IV voltage sensor region of Na_v channels, we propose this series binds in the same location. We describe the development of this series from a published starting point, highlighting key selectivity and potency data, and several studies designed to validate Na_v1.3 as a target for pain.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of triazole based uracil derivatives as novel DPP-4 inhibitors

Novel 1,2,3-triazole based uracil derivatives were identified as potent, selective, in vivo effective DPP-4 inhibitors.

Personalized medicine: myth or reality? The position of Russian clinical pharmacologists

A personalized medicine, a recent trend of clinical pharmacology, makes possible the individual approach to the choice of the drugs and their dosage. According to the results of a study of the activity of different biomarkers, particularly the isoenzymes of the cytochrome P-450, they provide the efficiency and safety of the pharmacotherapy. The activity of the isoenzymes of the cytochrome P-450 determines an individual pharmacological response and depends on many factors, including genetic ones. The biomarkers of the activity of the isoenzymes of the cytochrome P-450 should be tested in the clinical practice settings using the simple and cheap methods, one of the most available is an immunofluorescent assay. The skilled staff and the centers of personalized medicine are necessary for this approach.