Identification of CNS-Penetrant Aryl Sulfonamides as Isoform-Selective NaV1.6 Inhibitors with Efficacy in Mouse Models of Epilepsy

  • Thilo Focken
  • , Kristen Burford
  • , Michael E. Grimwood
  • , Alla Zenova
  • , Jean Christophe Andrez
  • , Wei Gong
  • , Michael Wilson
  • , Matt Taron
  • , Shannon Decker
  • , Verner Lofstrand
  • , Sultan Chowdhury
  • , Noah Shuart
  • , Sophia Lin
  • , Samuel J. Goodchild
  • , Clint Young
  • , Maegan Soriano
  • , Parisa K. Tari
  • , Matthew Waldbrook
  • , Karen Nelkenbrecher
  • , Rainbow Kwan
  • Andrea Lindgren, Gina De Boer, Stephanie Lee, Luis Sojo, Robert J. Devita, Charles J. Cohen, Steven S. Wesolowski, J. P. Johnson, Christoph M. Dehnhardt, James R. Empfield

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nonselective antagonists of voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels have been long used for the treatment of epilepsies. The efficacy of these drugs is thought to be due to the block of sodium channels on excitatory neurons, primarily NaV1.6 and NaV1.2. However, these currently marketed drugs require high drug exposure and suffer from narrow therapeutic indices. Selective inhibition of NaV1.6, while sparing NaV1.1, is anticipated to provide a more effective and better tolerated treatment for epilepsies. In addition, block of NaV1.2 may complement the anticonvulsant activity of NaV1.6 inhibition. We discovered a novel series of aryl sulfonamides as CNS-penetrant, isoform-selective NaV1.6 inhibitors, which also displayed potent block of NaV1.2. Optimization focused on increasing selectivity over NaV1.1, improving metabolic stability, reducing active efflux, and addressing a pregnane X-receptor liability. We obtained compounds 30-32, which produced potent anticonvulsant activity in mouse seizure models, including a direct current maximal electroshock seizure assay.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9618-9641
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry
Volume62
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - 14 Nov 2019
Externally publishedYes

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