Discovery of an Orally Bioavailable Benzimidazole Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) Inhibitor That Suppresses Body Weight Gain in Diet-Induced Obese Dogs and Postprandial Triglycerides in Humans

J Med Chem. 2017 Jun 8;60(11):4657-4664. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00173. Epub 2017 May 24.

Abstract

Modification of a gut restricted class of benzimidazole DGAT1 inhibitor 1 led to 9 with good oral bioavailability. The key structural changes to 1 include bioisosteric replacement of the amide with oxadiazole and α,α-dimethylation of the carboxylic acid, improving DGAT1 potency and gut permeability. Since DGAT1 is expressed in the small intestine, both 1 and 9 can suppress postprandial triglycerides during acute oral lipid challenges in rats and dogs. Interestingly, only 9 was found to be effective in suppressing body weight gain relative to control in a diet-induced obese dog model, suggesting the importance of systemic inhibition of DGAT1 for body weight control. 9 has advanced to clinical investigation and successfully suppressed postprandial triglycerides during an acute meal challenge in humans.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Diet, High-Fat*
  • Dogs
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Discovery
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / physiopathology*
  • Placebos
  • Postprandial Period
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Triglycerides / blood*
  • Weight Gain / drug effects*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Placebos
  • Triglycerides
  • DGAT1 protein, human
  • Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase