Synthesis and evaluation of carbamoylmethylene linked prodrugs of BMS-582949, a clinical p38α inhibitor.

Abstract A series of carbamoylmethylene linked prodrugs of 1 (BMS-582949), a clinical p38α inhibitor, were synthesized and evaluated. Though the phosphoryloxymethylene carbamates ( 3 , 4 , and 5 ) and α-aminoacyloxymethylene carbamates ( 22 , 23 , and 26 ) were found unstable at neutral pH values, fumaric acid derived acyloxymethylene carbamates ( 2 , 28 , and 31) were highly stable under both acidic and neutral conditions. Prodrugs 2 and 31 were also highly soluble at both acidic and neutral pH values. At a solution dose of 14.2 mpk (equivalent to 10 mpk of 1 ), 2 gave essentially the same exposure of 1 compared to dosing 10 mpk of 1 itself. At a suspension dose of 142 mpk (equivalent to 100 mpk of 1 ), 2 demonstrated that it could overcome the solubility issue associated with 1 and provide a much higher exposure of 1 . To our knowledge, the unique type of prodrugs like 2 , 28 , and 31 was not reported in the past and could represent a novel prodrug approach for secondary amides, a class of molecules frequently identified as drug candidates.