Synthesis and biological evaluation of antifungal derivatives of enfumafungin as orally bioavailable inhibitors of β-1,3-glucan synthase

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2012 Nov 15;22(22):6811-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.05.031. Epub 2012 May 17.

Abstract

Orally bioavailable inhibitors of β-(1,3)-D-glucan synthase have been pursued as new, broad-spectrum fungicidal therapies suitable for treatment in immunocompromised patients. Toward this end, a collaborative medicinal chemistry program was established based on semisynthetic derivatization of the triterpenoid glycoside natural product enfumafungin in order to optimize in vivo antifungal activity and oral absorption properties. In the course of these studies, it was hypothesized that the pharmacokinetic properties of the semisynthetic enfumafungin analog 3 could be improved by tethering the alkyl groups proximal to the basic nitrogen of the C3-aminoether side chain into an azacyclic system, so as to preclude oxidative N-demethylation. The results of this research effort are disclosed herein.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Glucosyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Glucosyltransferases / metabolism
  • Glycosides / chemical synthesis
  • Glycosides / chemistry*
  • Glycosides / pharmacokinetics
  • Half-Life
  • Mice
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Triterpenes / chemical synthesis
  • Triterpenes / chemistry*
  • Triterpenes / pharmacokinetics

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Glycosides
  • Triterpenes
  • enfumafungin
  • Glucosyltransferases
  • 1,3-beta-glucan synthase