Hepatoselectivity of statins: design and synthesis of 4-sulfamoyl pyrroles as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Abstract 4-Sulfamoyl pyrroles were designed as novel hepatoselective HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) to reduce myalgia, a statin-induced adverse effect. The compounds were prepared via a [3 + 2] cycloaddition of a Munchnone with a sulfonamide-substituted alkyne. We identified compounds with greater selectivity for hepatocytes compared to L6-myocytes than rosuvastatin and atorvastatin. There was an inverse correlation of myocyte potencies and C  log  P values. A number of analogs were effective at reducing cholesterol in acute and chronic in vivo models but they lacked sufficient chronic in vivo activity to warrant further development.