Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Triazolone Derivatives as Potent PPARα/δ Dual Agonists for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

J Med Chem. 2022 Feb 10;65(3):2571-2592. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02002. Epub 2022 Jan 21.

Abstract

Peroxisome proliferator-activator receptors α/δ (PPARα/δ) are regarded as potential therapeutic targets for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, PPARα/δ dual agonist GFT-505 exhibited poor anti-NASH effects in a phase III clinical trial, probably due to its weak PPARα/δ agonistic activity and poor metabolic stability. Other reported PPARα/δ dual agonists either exhibited limited potency or had unbalanced PPARα/δ agonistic activity. Herein, we report a series of novel triazolone derivatives as PPARα/δ dual agonists. Among them, compound H11 exhibited potent and well-balanced PPARα/δ agonistic activity (PPARα EC50 = 7.0 nM; PPARδ EC50 = 8.4 nM) and a high selectivity over PPARγ (PPARγ EC50 = 1316.1 nM) in PPAR transactivation assays. The crystal structure of PPARδ in complex with H11 revealed a unique PPARδ-agonist interaction. H11, which had excellent PK properties and a good safety profile, showed potent in vivo anti-NASH effects in preclinical models. Together, H11 holds a great promise for treating NASH or other inflammatory and fibrotic diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / metabolism
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • Drug Design
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / chemically induced
  • Liver Cirrhosis / drug therapy
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microsomes, Liver / drug effects
  • Molecular Structure
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / drug therapy*
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / pathology
  • PPAR alpha / agonists*
  • PPAR alpha / metabolism
  • PPAR delta / agonists*
  • PPAR delta / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Triazoles / chemical synthesis
  • Triazoles / metabolism
  • Triazoles / pharmacokinetics
  • Triazoles / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • PPAR alpha
  • PPAR delta
  • Triazoles
  • Carbon Tetrachloride