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  • C07D213/04—Heterocyclic compounds containing six-membered rings, not condensed with other rings, with one nitrogen atom as the only ring hetero atom and three or more double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members having three double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members having no bond between the ring nitrogen atom and a non-ring member or having only hydrogen or carbon atoms directly attached to the ring nitrogen atom
  • C07D213/60—Heterocyclic compounds containing six-membered rings, not condensed with other rings, with one nitrogen atom as the only ring hetero atom and three or more double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members having three double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members having no bond between the ring nitrogen atom and a non-ring member or having only hydrogen or carbon atoms directly attached to the ring nitrogen atom with hetero atoms or with carbon atoms having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most one bond to halogen, e.g. ester or nitrile radicals, directly attached to ring carbon atoms
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  • C07D231/10—Heterocyclic compounds containing 1,2-diazole or hydrogenated 1,2-diazole rings not condensed with other rings having two or three double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members
  • C07D231/14—Heterocyclic compounds containing 1,2-diazole or hydrogenated 1,2-diazole rings not condensed with other rings having two or three double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members with hetero atoms or with carbon atoms having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most one bond to halogen, e.g. ester or nitrile radicals, directly attached to ring carbon atoms
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  • C07D417/14—Heterocyclic compounds containing two or more hetero rings, at least one ring having nitrogen and sulfur atoms as the only ring hetero atoms, not provided for by group C07D415/00 containing three or more hetero rings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to novel compounds that can be employed in the treatment of a group of disorders and abnormalities associated with amyloid protein, such as Alzheimer's disease, and of diseases or conditions associated with amyloid-like proteins.
• the present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and to the use of these compounds for the preparation of medicaments for the treatment of diseases or conditions associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins.
• a method of treating diseases or conditions associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins is also disclosed.
• the compounds of the present invention can also be used in the treatment of ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, particularly associated with amyloid-beta-related pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, such as neuronal degradation.
• Said pathological abnormalities may occur, for example, in different tissues of the eye, such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to lattice dystrophy.
• tissues of the eye such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to la
• AD Alzheimer's Disease
• MCI mild cognitive impairment
• Lewy body dementia Down's syndrome
• Dutch type hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis
• Guam Parkinson-Dementia complex the Guam Parkinson-Dementia complex.
• amyloid-associated ocular diseases that target different tissues of the eye, such as the visual cortex, including cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve, including glaucoma; the lens, including cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous, including ocular amyloidoses; the retina, including primary retinal degenerations and macular degeneration, in particular age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve, including optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea, including lattice dystrophy.
• pathogenesis of these diseases may be diverse, their characteristic deposits often contain many shared molecular constituents. To a significant degree, this may be attributable to the local activation of pro-inflammatory pathways thereby leading to the concurrent deposition of activated complement components, acute phase reactants, immune modulators, and other inflammatory mediators.
• AD Alzheimer's Disease
• amyloid precursor protein APP
• presenilins Presenilin I and presenilin II
• APP amyloid precursor protein
• ⁇ and ⁇ secretase leads to the release of a 39 to 43 amino acid A ⁇ peptide.
• the degradation of APPs likely increases their propensity to aggregate in plaques. It is especially the A ⁇ (1-42) fragment that has a high propensity of building aggregates due to two very hydrophobic amino acid residues at its C-terminus.
• the A ⁇ (1-42) fragment is therefore believed to be mainly involved and responsible for the initiation of neuritic plaque formation in AD and to have, therefore, a high pathological potential. There is therefore a need for specific molecules that can target and diffuse amyloid plaque formation.
• AD Alzheimer's disease
• the symptoms of AD manifest slowly and the first symptom may only be mild forgetfulness. In this stage, individuals may forget recent events, activities, the names of familiar people or things and may not be able to solve simple math problems. As the disease progresses, symptoms are more easily noticed and become serious enough to cause people with AD or their family members to seek medical help.
• Mid-stage symptoms of AD include forgetting how to do simple tasks such as grooming, and problems develop with speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Later stage AD patients may become anxious or aggressive, may wander away from home and ultimately need total care.
• AD Alzheimer's disease
• doctors can only make a diagnosis of “possible” or “probable” AD while the person is still alive.
• physicians can diagnose AD correctly up to 90 percent of the time using several tools to diagnose “probable” AD.
• Physicians ask questions about the person's general health, past medical problems, and the history of any difficulties the person has carrying out daily activities. Behavioral tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language provide information on cognitive degeneration and medical tests such as tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid, and brain scans can provide some further information.
• AD The management of AD consists of medication-based and non-medication based treatments. Treatments aimed at changing the underlying course of the disease (delaying or reversing the progression) have so far been largely unsuccessful. Medicines that restore the deficit (defect), or malfunctioning, in the chemical messengers of the nerve cells (neurotransmitters), in particular the cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) such as tacrine and rivastigmine, have been shown to improve symptoms. ChEIs impede the enzymatic degradation of neurotransmitters thereby increasing the amount of chemical messengers available to transmit the nerve signals in the brain.
• ChEIs cholinesterase inhibitors
• the drugs tacrine COGNEX®, Morris Plains, N.J.
• donepezil ARICEPT®, Tokyo, JP
• rivastigmine EXELON®, East Hanover, N.J.
• galantamine REMINYL®, New Brunswick, N.J.
• memantine memantine
• Medications are also available to address the psychiatric manifestations of AD.
• some medicines may help control behavioral symptoms of AD such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression.
• LBD Lewy body dementia
• ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• IBM inclusion-body myositis
• AMD age-related macular degeneration
• Mild cognitive impairment is a general term most commonly defined as a subtle but measurable memory disorder. A person with MCI experiences memory problems greater than normally expected with aging, but does not show other symptoms of dementia, such as impaired judgment or reasoning.
• Lewy body dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder that can occur in persons older than 65 years of age, which typically causes symptoms of cognitive (thinking) impairment and abnormal behavioral changes. Symptoms can include cognitive impairment, neurological signs, sleep disorder, and autonomic failure. Cognitive impairment is the presenting feature of LBD in most cases. Patients have recurrent episodes of confusion that progressively worsen. The fluctuation in cognitive ability is often associated with shifting degrees of attention and alertness. Cognitive impairment and fluctuations of thinking may vary over minutes, hours, or days.
• ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• ALS-D dementia or aphasia may be present
• FTD frontotemporal dementia
• IBM Inclusion-body myositis
• Macular degeneration is a common eye disease that causes deterioration of the macula, which is the central area of the retina (the paper-thin tissue at the back of the eye where light-sensitive cells send visual signals to the brain). Sharp, clear, ‘straight ahead’ vision is processed by the macula. Damage to the macula results in the development of blind spots and blurred or distorted vision.
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of visual impairment in the United States and for people over age 65 it is the leading cause of legal blindness among Caucasians. Approximately 1.8 million Americans age 40 and older have advanced AMD, and another 7.3 million people with intermediate AMD are at substantial risk for vision loss. The government estimates that by 2020 there will be 2.9 million people with advanced AMD. Victims of AMD are often surprised and frustrated to find out how little is known about the causes and treatment of this blinding condition.
• macular degeneration There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration.
• dry form in which the cells of the macula slowly begin to break down, is diagnosed in 85 percent of macular degeneration cases. Both eyes are usually affected by dry AMD, although one eye can lose vision while the other eye remains unaffected. Drusen, which are yellow deposits under the retina, are common early signs of dry AMD.
• Drusen which are yellow deposits under the retina, are common early signs of dry AMD.
• the risk of developing advanced dry AMD or wet AMD increases as the number or size of the drusen increases. It is possible for dry AMD to advance and cause loss of vision without turning into the wet form of the disease; however, it is also possible for early-stage dry AMD to suddenly change into the wet form.
• wet AMD is always preceded by the dry form of the disease. As the dry form worsens, some people begin to have abnormal blood vessels growing behind the macula. These vessels are very fragile and will leak fluid and blood (hence ‘wet’ macular degeneration), causing rapid damage to the macula.
• the dry form of AMD will initially often cause slightly blurred vision.
• the center of vision in particular may then become blurred and this region grows larger as the disease progresses. No symptoms may be noticed if only one eye is affected.
• straight lines may appear wavy and central vision loss can occur rapidly.
• Diagnosis of macular degeneration typically involves a dilated eye exam, visual acuity test, and a viewing of the back of the eye using a procedure called fundoscopy to help diagnose AMD, and—if wet AMD is suspected—fluorescein angiography may also be performed. If dry AMD reaches the advanced stages, there is no current treatment to prevent vision loss. However, a specific high dose formula of antioxidants and zinc may delay or prevent intermediate AMD from progressing to the advanced stage. Macugen® (pegaptanib sodium injection), laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy can control the abnormal blood vessel growth and bleeding in the macula, which is helpful for some people who have wet AMD; however, vision that is already lost will not be restored by these techniques. If vision is already lost, low vision aids exist that can help improve the quality of life.
• ATD age-related macular degeneration
• RPE retinal pigmented epithelium
• BM Bruch's membrane
• Prions cause neurodegenerative diseases such as scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in humans.
• the only known component of the particle is the scrapie isoform of the protein, PrPSc.
• PrPSc is derived from the non-infectious, cellular protein PrPC by a posttranslational process during which PrPC undergoes a profound conformational change.
• PrPSc The scrapie protein PrPSc has a critical role in neuronal degeneration and during disease development undergoes a three stage transition as follows: PrPC (normal cellular isoform of protein)—PrPSc: infectious form (scrapie isoform of protein)—protein PrP27-30.
• CJD Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
• GSS Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome
• the cellular non-toxic protein is a sialoglycoprotein of molecular weight 33000 to 35000 that is expressed predominantly in neurons.
• PrPC is converted into an altered form (PrPSc), which is distinguishable from its normal homologue by its relative resistance to protease digestion.
• PrPSc accumulates in the central nervous system of affected animals and individuals and its protease-resistant core aggregates extracellularly.
• Amyloidosis is not a single disease entity but rather a diverse group of progressive disease processes characterized by extracellular tissue deposits of a waxy, starch-like protein called amyloid, which accumulates in one or more organs or body systems. As the amyloid deposits build up, they begin to interfere with the normal function of the organ or body system.
• amyloidosis There are at least 15 different types of amyloidosis. The major forms are primary amyloidosis without known antecedent, secondary amyloidosis following some other condition, and hereditary amyloidosis.
• Secondary amyloidosis occurs in people who have a chronic infection or inflammatory disease, such as tuberculosis, a bacterial infection called familial Mediterranean fever, bone infections (osteomyelitis), rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation of the small intestine (granulomatous ileitis), Hodgkin's disease, and leprosy.
• a chronic infection or inflammatory disease such as tuberculosis, a bacterial infection called familial Mediterranean fever, bone infections (osteomyelitis), rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation of the small intestine (granulomatous ileitis), Hodgkin's disease, and leprosy.
• Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a characteristic pattern of optic neuropathy. Glaucoma is often, but not always, accompanied by an increased eye pressure, which may be a result of blockage of the circulation of aqueous, or its drainage.
• RRCs retinal ganglion cells
• the damage may also be caused by poor blood supply to the vital optic nerve fibers, a weakness in the structure of the nerve, and/or a problem in the health of the nerve fibers themselves.
• Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.
• RGCs are the nerve cells that transmit visual signals from the eye to the brain.
• Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 two major enzymes in the apoptotic process, are activated in the process leading to apoptosis of RGCs.
• Caspase-3 cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce neurotoxic fragments, including Amyloid ⁇ . Without the protective effect of APP, Amyloid ⁇ accumulation in the retinal ganglion cell layer results in the death of RGCs and irreversible loss of vision.
• APP amyloid precursor protein
• Glaucoma usually affects both eyes, but the disease can progress more rapidly in one eye than in the other.
• COAG chronic open-angle glaucoma
• POAG primary open angle glaucoma
• IOP intraocular pressure
• Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma or closed-angle glaucoma is a relatively rare type of glaucoma characterized by a sudden increase in intraocular pressure to 35 to 80 mmHg, leading to severe pain and irreversible loss of vision.
• the sudden pressure increase is caused by the closing of the filtering angle and blockage of the drainage channels.
• Individuals with narrow angles have an increased risk for a sudden closure of the angle.
• AACG usually occurs monocularly, but the risk exists in both eyes. Age, cataract and pseudoexfoliation are also risk factors since they are associated with enlargement of the lens and crowding or narrowing of the angle.
• a sudden glaucoma attack may be associated with severe eye pain and headache, inflamed eye, nausea, vomiting, and blurry vision.
• Glaucoma is a mixture or combination of open and closed angle glaucoma. It affects patients with acute ACG whose angle opens after laser iridotomy, but who continue to require medications for IOP control, as well as patients with POAG or pseudoexfoliative glaucoma who gradually develop narrowing of the angle.
• NVG Normal tension glaucoma
• LSG low tension glaucoma
• Congenital (infantile) glaucoma is a relatively rare, inherited type of open-angle glaucoma. Insufficient development of the drainage area results in increased pressure in the eye that can lead to the loss of vision from optic nerve damage and to an enlarged eye. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to preserve vision in infants and children affected by the disease.
• Secondary glaucoma may result from an ocular injury, inflammation in the iris of the eye (iritis), diabetes, cataract, or use of steroids in steroid-susceptible individuals. Secondary glaucoma may also be associated with retinal detachment or retinal vein occlusion or blockage.
• Pigmentary glaucoma is characterized by the detachment of granules of pigment from the iris. The granules cause blockage of the drainage system of the eye, leading to elevated intraocular pressure and damage to the optic nerve.
• Exfoliative glaucoma is characterized by deposits of flaky material on the anterior capsule and in the angle of the eye. Accumulation of the flaky material blocks the drainage system and raises the eye pressure.
• Diagnosis of glaucoma may be made using various tests. Tonometry determines the pressure in the eye by measuring the tone or firmness of its surface. Several types of tonometers are available for this test, the most common being the applanation tonometer. Pachymetry determines the thickness of the cornea which, in turn, measures intraocular pressure. Gonioscopy allows examination of the filtering angle and drainage area of the eye. Gonioscopy can also determine if abnormal blood vessels may be blocking the drainage of the aqueous fluid out of the eye. Opthalmoscopy allows examination of the optic nerve and can detect nerve fiber layer drop or changes in the optic disc, or indentation (cupping) of this structure, which may be caused by increased intraocular pressure or axonal drop out.
• Gonioscopy is also useful in assessing damage to the nerve from poor blood flow or increased intraocular pressure.
• Visual Field testing maps the field of vision, subjectively, which may detect signs of glaucomatous damage to the optic nerve. This is represented by specific patterns of visual field loss.
• Ocular coherence tomography an objective measure of nerve fiber layer loss, is carried out by looking at the thickness of the optic nerve fiber layer (altered in glaucoma) via a differential in light transmission through damaged axonal tissue.
• Optic nerve drusen are globular concretions of protein and calcium salts which are felt to represent secretions through congenitally altered vascular structures affecting the axonal nerve fiber layer. These accumulations occur in the peripapillary nerve fiber layer and are felt to damage the nerve fiber layer either directly by compression or indirectly through disruptions of the vascular supply to the nerve fiber layer. They usually become visible after the first decade of life in affected individuals. They occur most often in both eyes but may also affect one eye, and may cause mild loss of peripheral vision over many years.
• Optic neuropathy is a disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve caused by demyelination, blockage of blood supply, nutritional deficiencies, or toxins.
• Demyelinating optic neuropathies are typically caused by an underlying demyelinating process such as multiple sclerosis. Blockage of the blood supply, known as ischemic optic neuropathy, can lead to death or dysfunction of optic nerve cells.
• Non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy usually occurs in middle-age people. Risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes and atherosclerosis.
• Arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy usually occurs in older people following inflammation of the arteries (arteritis), particularly the temporal artery (temporal arteritis). Loss of vision may be rapid or develop gradually over 2 to 7 days and the damage may be to one or both eyes. In people with optic neuropathy caused by exposure to a toxin or to a nutritional deficiency, both eyes are usually affected.
• Non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy is treated by controlling blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol levels. Arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy is treated with high doses of corticosteroids to prevent loss of vision in the second eye.
• Optic neuritis is associated with mild or severe vision loss in one or both eyes and may be caused by a systemic demyelinating process (see above), viral infection, vaccination, meningitis, syphilis, multiple sclerosis and intraocular inflammation (uveitis). Eye movement may be painful and vision may deteriorate with repeat episodes. Diagnosis involves examination of the reactions of the pupils and determining whether the optic disk is swollen. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may show evidence of multiple sclerosis or, rarely, a tumor pressing on the optic nerve, in which case vision improves once the tumor pressure is relieved. Most cases of optic neuritis improve over a few months without treatment. In some cases, treatment with intravenous corticosteroids may be necessary.
• MRI Magnetic resonance imaging
• a cataract is an opacity that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope. Cataracts typically cause progressive vision loss and may cause blindness if left untreated. In the Morgagnian Cataract, the cataract cortex progressively liquefies to form a milky white fluid and may cause severe inflammation if the lens capsule ruptures and leaks. If left untreated, the cataract may also cause phacomorphic glaucoma. Cataracts may be congenital in nature or caused by genetic factors, advanced age, long-term ultraviolet exposure, exposure to radiation, diabetes, eye injury or physical trauma.
• Extra-capsular (ECCE) surgery is the most effective treatment to treat cataract.
• the lens is removed, but the majority of the lens capsule is left intact.
• Phacoemulsification a small incision on the side of the cornea, is typically used to break up the lens before extraction.
• Ocular amyloidosis is a hereditary disorder associated with Type I Familial Amyloidotic Polyneuropathy (FAP) and characterized by abnormal conjunctival vessels, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, pupillary abnormalities and, in some cases, vitreous opacities and secondary glaucoma.
• Type I FAP is associated with mutations in transthyretin (TTR), a tetrameric plasma protein (prealbumin) synthesized in the liver, the retinal pigment epithelium2 and thechoroid plexus of the brain.
• TTR transthyretin
• prealbumin prealbumin
• the most frequent mutation is TTR-met303, in which methionine replaces valine at position 30 in transthyretin.
• Type IV FAP is associated with lattice corneal dystrophy (LCD).
• Lattice corneal dystrophy is an inherited, primary, usually bilateral corneal amyloidosis characterized by the presence of refractile lattice lines with a double contour in the corneal stroma.
• LCD type I (Biber-Haab-Dimmer) is an autosomal dominant, bilaterally symmetrical corneal disorder characterized by the presence of numerous translucent fine lattice lines with white dots and faint haze in the superficial and middle layers of the central stroma. The symptoms start during the first or second decades of life, causing a progressive loss of vision. Most patients require a corneal transplant by 40 years of age.
• LCD type II is associated with systemic amyloidosis (Meretoja's syndrome) and is characterized by the presence of thick lattice lines in the limbus, central cornea and stroma. Vision is not affected until later in life.
• LCD type III affect middle-age people and is characterized by the presence of thick lattice lines that extend from limbus to limbus.
• LCD type III A is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid deposits in the stroma and the presence of ribbons of amyloid between the stroma and Bowman's layer, LCD type III A differs from LCD type III because of the presence of corneal erosions, the occurrence in whites and the autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.
• Down's Syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is the most common genetic disorder with an incidence of about 1:700 live births, and is often associated with various congenital anomalies.
• the disorder which is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21, is associated with premature deposits of the plaque-forming protein amyloid-beta and development of Alzheimer's disease by middle age.
• many people affected by DS suffer from cataracts beginning in childhood and many suffer from congenital glaucoma.
• the gene for amyloid precursor protein which is cleaved to form amyloid beta, is located on the long arm of chromosome 21 in humans, overexpression of this gene may lead to increased levels of amyloid precursor protein and amyloid deposition in Down's syndrome.
• Medications for the treatment of glaucoma include agents that decrease production of the aqueous humor in the eye, such as beta blockers (Timoptic, Betoptic), carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (Trusopt, Azopt), and alpha agonists (Alphagan, Iopidine), and agents that redirect drainage of the aqueous humor through a different pathway at the back of the eye, such as prostaglandin (Xalatan).
• Laser surgeries include trabeculoplasty, a procedure that helps the aqueous humor leave the eye more efficiently. According to the Glaucoma Foundation, nearly 80% of patients respond well enough to the procedure to delay or avoid further surgery.
• Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness among Caucasians over age 65. Although much progress has been made recently in macular degeneration research, there are no treatments that rescue neuronal cell death that occurs during the course of the disease. There are also no definitive treatments for other ocular diseases associated with amyloid beta-related neuronal degradation, such as cortical visual deficits, optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy, optic neuritis, ocular amyloidosis and lattice dystrophy.
• Amyloid deposits typically contain three components. Amyloid protein fibrils, which account for about 90% of the amyloid material, comprise one of several different types of proteins. These proteins are capable of folding into so-called “beta-pleated” sheet fibrils, a unique protein configuration which exhibits binding sites for Congo red resulting in the unique staining properties of the amyloid protein.
• amyloid deposits are closely associated with the amyloid P (pentagonal) component (AP), a glycoprotein related to normal serum amyloid P (SAP), and with sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAG), complex carbohydrates of connective tissue.
• AP amyloid P
• SAP normal serum amyloid P
• GAG glycosaminoglycans
• H-bond acceptors C ⁇ O group
• H-bond donors NH group
• the distance between the H-bond donor (NH group) and the H-bond acceptor (C ⁇ O group) within one amino acid residue is from 3.5 to 4.0 ⁇ .
• the distance between the H-bond acceptor (C ⁇ O group) of one amino acid residue and the H-bond donor (NH group) of the following amino acid residue participating in the inter-strand bonding is from 2.6 to 2.9 ⁇ .
• the distances between neighboring H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors within one amino acid strand alternate between the following ranges:
• Ligands that are designed to bind n-sheets ideally have an order of H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors that is complementary to the order of H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors in the amino acid strands of the ⁇ -sheet.
• Trimer is mutagenic, carcinogenic and metabolically unstable.
• the compounds should be able to pass the blood-brain barrier.
• they should be pharmaceutically acceptable, in particular, they should not have mutagenic or carcinogenic properties or be metabolically unstable.
• a further object of the invention is to provide improved treatment options for subjects affected by ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, particularly associated with amyloid-beta-related pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, such as, for example, neuronal degradation.
• Said pathological abnormalities may occur, for example, in different tissues of the eye, such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to lattice dystrophy.
• tissues of the eye such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to la
• the present invention relates to a compound of general formula (II).
• the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of general formula (II).
• Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a compound of general formula (II) for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of diseases or conditions associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins, including amyloidosis.
• Also disclosed herein is a method of treating diseases or conditions associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins, comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of general formula (II).
• Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a compound of general formula (I) for the preparation of a medicament for treating or alleviating the effects of ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system.
• Also disclosed herein is a method of treating or alleviating the effects of ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of general formula (I).
• the ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system are particularly associated with amyloid-beta-related pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, such as, for example, neuronal degradation.
• Said pathological abnormalities may occur, for example, in different tissues of the eye, such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to lattice dystrophy.
• the invention relates to a mixture (such as a pharmaceutical composition) comprising a compound according to the present invention and optionally at least one further biologically active compound and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or a diluent and/or an excipient.
• the further biologically active substance can be a known compound used in the medication of diseases and disorders which are caused by or associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins including amyloidosis, a group of diseases and disorders associated with amyloid or amyloid-like protein such as the A ⁇ protein involved in Alzheimer's disease.
• the further biologically active substance or compound may exert its biological effect by the same or a similar mechanism as the compound according to the invention or by an unrelated mechanism of action or by a multiplicity of related and/or unrelated mechanisms of action.
• a method of collecting data for the diagnosis of an amyloid-associated disease or condition in a sample or a patient which comprises:
• Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of determining the extent of amyloidogenic plaque burden in a tissue and/or a body fluid comprising:
• a further aspect relates to a method of collecting data for determining a predisposition to an amyloid-associated disease or condition in a patient comprising detecting the specific binding of a compound according to the present invention to an amyloid protein in a sample or in situ which comprises the steps of:
• Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method of collecting data for monitoring minimal residual disease in a patient following treatment with an antibody or a vaccine composition, wherein the method comprises:
• a method of collecting data for predicting responsiveness of a patient being treated with an antibody or a vaccine composition which comprises:
• a further aspect of the present invention is a test kit for detection and diagnosis of an amyloid-associated disease or condition comprising a compound according to the present invention.
• the present invention relates to a compound of the general formula (II)
• first preferred alternative one is a double bond and the other is a single bond or in a second preferred alternative both are a single bond. It will be understood that the first preferred alternative, wherein one is a double bond and the other is a single bond, includes embodiments, wherein the two are part of an aromatic system.
• p 1, 2 or 3.
• Each linker K is independently C 1-3 alkylene which is optionally substituted by one or more C 1-4 alkyl groups.
• each linker K is —CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 — or —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —.
• Each B is independently a 5- or 6-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring, wherein the heterocyclic ring B is optionally substituted by one or more, preferably one or two, substituents selected from C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, mono- and di-C 1-4 alkyl amino, C 3-7 cycloalkyl amino, and 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl, or two substituents may be joined to form a saturated, unsaturated or aromatic 5- to 7-membered ring which is fused with the heterocyclic ring B, and wherein the heterocyclic ring B may contain in addition to the units V and W one or more, preferably one or two, heteroatoms, selected from N, NR, S and O, wherein R is selected from H and C 1-4 alkyl.
• the 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl group contains carbon atoms and 1 or more, preferably 1 or 2, heteroatoms selected from N, NH, O and S.
• the nitrogen and sulfur atoms may optionally be oxidized.
• the 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl group may be attached to its pendant group at any heteroatom or carbon atom. Examples of the 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl group include, but are not limited to, pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl and morpholinyl.
• each heterocyclic ring B is independently selected from optionally substituted indoline, optionally substituted pyrazolylene, optionally substituted pyridinylene, optionally substituted 2-pyridinonylene, optionally substituted 2-piperidonylene, optionally substituted thiazolylene and optionally substituted isothiazolylene. More preferably, each heterocyclic ring B is independently selected from the following groups:
• R 1 is selected from —H, halogen, —C 1-4 alkyl, —NH 2 , —NH—C 1-4 alkyl, —C 1-4 alkylene-NH 2 , —C 1-4 alkylene-NH—C 1-4 alkyl, -aryl, -aryl-R 3 , —C 1-4 alkylene-aryl, —C 1-4 alkylene-aryl-R 3 , -heteroaryl, -heteroaryl-R 3 , —NH—C 1-4 alkylene-aryl, —NH—C 1-4 alkylene-aryl-R 3 , —OH and —O—C 1-4 alkyl.
• R 1 is preferably —H, —CH 3 , —NH—C 1-4 alkyl or —CH 2 NH—CH 3 .
• R 3 is C 1-4 alkyl, halogen, OH or O—C 1-4 alkyl.
• R 2 is —H, -aryl, —C 1-4 alkyl or a group of the formula
• R 2 is H or aryl.
• Each unit W is independently a H-bond acceptor.
• each unit W is independently N or C ⁇ O.
• Each unit V is independently optional and, if present, is independently a H-bond donor.
• Each unit V is preferably NH.
• Aryl is preferably a 5- to 7-membered aryl such as phenyl.
• Heteroaryl is preferably a 5- to 7-membered heteroaryl (preferably a 5-membered heteroaryl), which includes at least one heteroatom selected from O, S or N. Examples are
• Halogen is preferably F or Cl.
• the compounds of the formula (II) have the formula (II′)
• first preferred alternative one is a double bond and the other is a single bond or in a second preferred alternative both are a single bond. It will be understood that the first preferred alternative, wherein one is a double bond and the other is a single bond, includes embodiments, wherein the two are part of an aromatic system.
• p 2 or 3.
• Each linker K is independently C 1-3 alkylene which is optionally substituted by one or more C 1-4 alkyl groups.
• each linker K is —CH 2 — or —CH 2 CH 2 —.
• Each B is independently a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring, wherein the heterocyclic ring B is optionally substituted by one or more, preferably one or two, substituents selected from C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, mono and di C 1-4 alkyl amino, C 3-7 cycloalkyl amino, and 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl, or two substituents may be joined to form a saturated, unsaturated or aromatic 5- to 7-membered ring which is fused with the heterocyclic ring B, and wherein the heterocyclic ring B may contain in addition to the units V and W one or more, preferably one or two, heteroatoms, selected from N, NR, S and O, wherein R is selected from H and C 1-4 alkyl.
• the 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl group contains carbon atoms and 1 or more, preferably 1 or 2, heteroatoms selected from N, NH, O and S.
• the nitrogen and sulfur atoms may optionally be oxidized.
• the 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl group may be attached to its pendant group at any heteroatom or carbon atom. Examples of the 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclyl group include, but are not limited to, pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl and morpholinyl.
• each heterocyclic ring B is independently selected from optionally substituted pyrazolylene, optionally substituted pyridinylene, optionally substituted 2-pyridinonylene, optionally substituted 2-piperidonylene, optionally substituted thiazolylene and optionally substituted isothiazolylene. More preferably, each heterocyclic ring B is independently selected from the following groups:
• R 1 is selected from H, C 1-4 alkyl, NH 2 , NH—C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkylene-NH 2 , C 1-4 alkylene-NH—C 1-4 alkyl, OH and O—C 1-4 alkyl.
• R 1 is preferably H, CH 3 , NH—CH 3 or CH 2 —NH—CH 3 .
• R 2 is H, or a group of the formula
• R 2 is H.
• Each unit W is independently a H-bond acceptor.
• each unit W is independently N or C ⁇ O.
• Each unit V is independently optional and, if present, is independently a H-bond donor.
• Each unit V is preferably NH.
• H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors are preferably arranged in a pattern which is essentially complementary to the pattern of H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors present in the amino acid strands of ⁇ -sheet structures as set out in the introductory part.
• the distances between neighboring H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors in the compounds of the present invention are preferably within the range of 2.6 to 2.9 ⁇ or 3.5 to 4.0 ⁇ .
• the distances between neighboring H-bond donors and H-bond acceptors in the compounds of the present invention can, for example, directly measured from the Dreiding models of the compounds.
• molecular modeling computer programs such as MacroModel 7.2, can be used for the distance determination.
• the compounds of the present invention do not only feature a H-bond donor/acceptor pattern which promotes their binding to the amino acid strands of ⁇ -sheet structures, they also have favorable physicochemical properties which facilitate their use as neurotherapeutics. In particular, their lipophilicity is in a range which should enhance their penetration of the blood-brain barrier.
• the calculated partition coefficient (milogP) between water and n-octanol of the compounds of the present invention is in the range of from 0 and 4, more preferably from 1 to 3.
• milogP values can be calculated according to the software available on the world wide web (http://www.molinspiration.com), provided by P. Ertl of Novartis Pharma AG. A copy of the software is also available from the applicant.
• PSA polar surface area
• TPSA topological PSA
• the compounds of the present invention generally have a TPSA which facilitates penetration of the blood-brain barrier.
• the TPSA of the compounds of the present invention is equal to or below 90 ⁇ 2 .
• TPSA values can be calculated according to the software available on the world wide web (http://www.molinspiration.com), provided by P. Ertl of Novartis Pharma AG. A copy of the software is also available from the applicant.
• the compounds of the general formula (II) can be built stepwise via formation of peptide bonds and subsequent reduction with borane dimethylsulfide complex to yield the secondary amines.
• the compounds of the present invention While it is possible for the compounds of the present invention to be administered alone, it is preferable to formulate them into a pharmaceutical composition in accordance with standard pharmaceutical practice.
• a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (II) in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
• compositions are well known in the pharmaceutical art, and are described, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 15 th Ed., Mack Publishing Co., New Jersey (1991).
• the pharmaceutical excipient can be selected with regard to the intended route of administration and standard pharmaceutical practice.
• the excipient must be acceptable in the sense of being not deleterious to the recipient thereof.
• compositions of the present invention may comprise, for example, carriers, vehicles, diluents, solvents such as monohydric alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol and polyhydric alcohols such as glycols and edible oils such as soybean oil, coconut oil, olive oil, safflower oil cottonseed oil, oily esters such as ethyl oleate, isopropyl myristate, binders, adjuvants, solubilizers, thickening agents, stabilizers, disintegrants, glidants, lubricating agents, buffering agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents, suspending agents, sweetening agents, colorants, flavors, coating agents, preservatives, antioxidants, processing agents, drug delivery modifiers and enhancers such as calcium phosphate, magnesium state, talc, monosaccharides, disaccharides, starch, gelatine, cellulose, methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethyl
• the routes for administration (delivery) of the compounds of the invention include, but are not limited to, one or more of: oral (e.g. as a tablet, capsule, or as an ingestible solution), topical, mucosal (e.g. as a nasal spray or aerosol for inhalation), nasal, parenteral (e.g. by an injectable form), gastrointestinal, intraspinal, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intravenous, intrauterine, intraocular, intradermal, intracranial, intratracheal, intravaginal, intracerebroventricular, intracerebral, subcutaneous, ophthalmic (including intravitreal or intracameral), transdermal, rectal, buccal, epidural and sublingual.
• oral e.g. as a tablet, capsule, or as an ingestible solution
• mucosal e.g. as a nasal spray or aerosol for inhalation
• nasal parenteral (e.g. by an injectable form)
• gastrointestinal intraspin
• the compounds can be administered orally in the form of tablets, capsules, ovules, elixirs, solutions or suspensions, which may contain flavoring or coloring agents, for immediate-, delayed-, modified-, sustained-, pulsed- or controlled-release applications.
• the tablets may contain excipients such as microcrystalline cellulose, lactose, sodium citrate, calcium carbonate, dibasic calcium phosphate and glycine, disintegrants such as starch (preferably corn, potato or tapioca starch), sodium starch glycollate, croscarmellose sodium and certain complex silicates, and granulation binders such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), sucrose, gelatin and acacia. Additionally, lubricating agents such as magnesium stearate, stearic acid, glyceryl behenate and talc may be included. Solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in gelatin capsules.
• excipients such as microcrystalline cellulose, lactose, sodium citrate, calcium carbonate, dibasic calcium phosphate and glycine
• disintegrants such as starch (preferably corn, potato or tapioca starch), sodium starch
• Preferred excipients in this regard include lactose, starch, a cellulose, milk sugar or high molecular weight polyethylene glycols.
• the agent may be combined with various sweetening or flavoring agents, coloring matter or dyes, with emulsifying and/or suspending agents and with diluents such as water, ethanol, propylene glycol and glycerin, and combinations thereof.
• the compounds of the present invention are administered parenterally, then examples of such administration include one or more of: intravenously, intraarterially, intraperitoneally, intrathecally, intraventricularly, intraurethrally, intrasternally, intracranially, intramuscularly or subcutaneously administering the compounds; and/or by using infusion techniques.
• parenteral administration the compounds are best used in the form of a sterile aqueous solution which may contain other substances, for example, enough salts or glucose to make the solution isotonic with blood.
• the aqueous solutions should be suitably buffered (preferably to a pH of from 3 to 9), if necessary.
• the preparation of suitable parenteral formulations under sterile conditions is readily accomplished by standard pharmaceutical techniques well known to those skilled in the art.
• the compounds of the present invention can be administered intranasally or by inhalation and are conveniently delivered in the form of a dry powder inhaler or an aerosol spray presentation from a pressurized container, pump, spray or nebulizer with the use of a suitable propellant, e.g. dichlorodifluoromethane, trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorotetra-fluoroethane, a hydrofluoroalkane such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFA134AT) or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFA 227EA), carbon dioxide or other suitable gas.
• a suitable propellant e.g. dichlorodifluoromethane, trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorotetra-fluoroethane, a hydrofluoroalkane such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFA134AT) or 1,1,1,2,
• the dosage unit may be determined by providing a valve to deliver a metered amount.
• the pressurized container, pump, spray or nebulizer may contain a solution or suspension of the active compound, e.g. using a mixture of ethanol and the propellant as the solvent, which may additionally contain a lubricant, e.g. sorbitan trioleate.
• a lubricant e.g. sorbitan trioleate.
• Capsules and cartridges (made, for example, from gelatin) for use in an inhaler or insufflator may be formulated to contain a powder mix of the compound and a suitable powder base such as lactose or starch.
• the compounds of the present invention can be administered in the form of a suppository or pessary, or it may be applied topically in the form of a gel, hydrogel, lotion, solution, cream, ointment or dusting powder.
• the compounds of the present invention may also be dermally or transdermally administered, for example, by the use of a skin patch.
• the compounds may also be administered by the pulmonary or rectal routes. They may also be administered by the ocular route.
• the compounds can be formulated as micronized suspensions in isotonic, pH adjusted, sterile saline, or, preferably, as solutions in isotonic, pH adjusted, sterile saline, optionally in combination with a preservative such as a benzylalkonium chloride. Alternatively, they may be formulated in an ointment such as petrolatum.
• the compounds of the present invention can be formulated as a suitable ointment containing the active compound suspended or dissolved in, for example, a mixture with one or more of the following: mineral oil, liquid petrolatum, white petrolatum, propylene glycol, emulsifying wax and water.
• they can be formulated as a suitable lotion or cream, suspended or dissolved in, for example, a mixture of one or more of the following: mineral oil, sorbitan monostearate, a polyethylene glycol, liquid paraffin, polysorbate 60, cetyl esters wax, cetearyl alcohol, 2-octyldodecanol, benzyl alcohol and water.
• a physician will determine the actual dosage which will be most suitable for an individual subject.
• the specific dose level and frequency of dosage for any particular individual may be varied and will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the metabolic stability and length of action of that compound, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, mode and time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, the severity of the particular condition, and the individual undergoing therapy.
• a proposed dose of the compounds according to the present invention for administration to a human is 0.1 mg to 1 g, preferably 1 mg to 500 mg of the active ingredient per unit dose.
• the unit dose may be administered, for example, 1 to 4 times per day.
• the dose will depend on the route of administration. It will be appreciated that it may be necessary to make routine variations to the dosage depending on the age and weight of the patient as well as the severity of the condition to be treated. The precise dose and route of administration will ultimately be at the discretion of the attendant physician or veterinarian.
• the compounds of the invention may also be used in combination with other therapeutic agents.
• a compound of the invention is used in combination with a second therapeutic agent active against the same disease the dose of each compound may differ from that when the compound is used alone.
• the combinations referred to above may conveniently be presented for use in the form of a pharmaceutical formulation.
• the individual components of such combinations may be administered either sequentially or simultaneously in separate or combined pharmaceutical formulations by any convenient route.
• administration either the compound of the invention or the second therapeutic agent may be administered first.
• administration is simultaneous, the combination may be administered either in the same or different pharmaceutical composition.
• the two compounds When combined in the same formulation it will be appreciated that the two compounds must be stable and compatible with each other and the other components of the formulation.
• they may be provided in any convenient formulation, conveniently in such manner as are known for such compounds in the art.
• compositions of the invention can be produced in a manner known per se to the skilled person as described, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 15 th Ed., Mack Publishing Co., New Jersey (1991).
• an abnormal protein structure is a protein structure that arises when a protein or peptide refolds from the three-dimensional structure, which it generally adopts in healthy individuals, into a different three-dimensional structure, which is associated with a pathological condition.
• an abnormal ⁇ -sheet structure in the context of the present invention is a ⁇ -sheet structure that arises when a protein or peptide refolds from the three-dimensional structure, which it generally adopts in healthy individuals, into a ⁇ -sheet structure, which is associated with a pathological condition.
• diseases that can be treated with the compounds of the present invention are diseases or conditions associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins.
• This group of diseases and disorders include neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), diseases or conditions characterized by a loss of cognitive memory capacity such as, for example, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Lewy body dementia, Down's syndrome, hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis (Dutch type); the Guam Parkinson-Dementia complex.
• AD Alzheimer's Disease
• MCI mild cognitive impairment
• Lewy body dementia Down's syndrome
• Dutch type hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis
• the Guam Parkinson-Dementia complex the Guam Parkinson-Dementia complex.
• amyloid-associated ocular diseases that target different tissues of the eye, such as the visual cortex, including cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve, including glaucoma; the lens, including cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous, including ocular amyloidoses; the retina, including primary retinal degenerations and macular degeneration, in particular age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve, including optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea, including lattice dystrophy.
• the compounds of the present invention can be employed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Lewy body dementia (LBD), amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), inclusion-body myositis (IBM) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• MCI mild cognitive impairment
• LBD Lewy body dementia
• ALS amyotropic lateral sclerosis
• IBM inclusion-body myositis
• AMD age-related macular degeneration
• the compounds of the present invention can be employed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
• the ability of a compound to inhibit the aggregation of A ⁇ can, for example, be determined using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy as described in Rzepecki et al., J. Biol. Chem., 2004, 279(46), 47497-47505 or by using the thioflavin T spectrofluorescence assay.
• the compounds of the present invention can be used for treating or alleviating the effects of ocular diseases associated with pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, particularly associated with amyloid-beta-related pathological abnormalities/changes in the tissues of the visual system, such as, for example, neuronal degradation.
• Said pathological abnormalities may occur, for example, in different tissues of the eye, such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to lattice dystrophy.
• tissues of the eye such as the visual cortex leading to cortical visual deficits; the anterior chamber and the optic nerve leading to glaucoma; the lens leading to cataract due to beta-amyloid deposition; the vitreous leading to ocular amyloidoses; the retina leading to primary retinal degeneration and macular degeneration, for example age-related macular degeneration; the optic nerve leading to optic nerve drusen, optic neuropathy and optic neuritis; and the cornea leading to la
• the compounds according to the present invention can also be provided in the form of a mixture with at least one further biologically active compound and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or a diluent and/or an excipient.
• the compound and/or the further biologically active compound are preferably present in a therapeutically effective amount.
• the nature of the further biologically active compound will depend on the intended use of the mixture.
• the further biologically active substance or compound may exert its biological effect by the same or a similar mechanism as the compound according to the invention or by an unrelated mechanism of action or by a multiplicity of related and/or unrelated mechanisms of action.
• the further biologically active compound may include neutron-transmission enhancers, psychotherapeutic drugs, acetylcholine esterase inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, biogenic amines, benzodiazepine tranquillizers, acetylcholine synthesis, storage or release enhancers, acetylcholine postsynaptic receptor agonists, monoamine oxidase-A or -B inhibitors, N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonists, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antioxidants, and serotonergic receptor antagonists.
• neutron-transmission enhancers may include neutron-transmission enhancers, psychotherapeutic drugs, acetylcholine esterase inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, biogenic amines, benzodiazepine tranquillizers, acetylcholine synthesis, storage or release enhancers, acetylcholine postsynaptic receptor agonists, monoamine oxidase-A or -B inhibitors,
• the further biologically active compound can be selected from the group consisting of a compound used in the treatment of amyloidoses, compounds against oxidative stress, anti-apoptotic compounds, metal chelators, inhibitors of DNA repair such as pirenzepin and metabolites, 3-amino-1-propanesulfonic acid (3APS), 1,3-propanedisulfonate (1,3PDS), ⁇ -secretase activators, ⁇ - and ⁇ -secretase inhibitors, tau proteins, neurotransmitter, ⁇ -sheet breakers, attractants for amyloid beta clearing/depleting cellular components, inhibitors of N-terminal truncated amyloid beta including pyroglutamated amyloid beta 3-42, anti-inflammatory molecules, or cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) such as tacrine, rivastigmine, donepezil, and/or galantamine, M1 agonists, other drugs including any amyloid or tau modifying drug and nutritive supplements,
• the mixtures according to the invention may comprise niacin or memantine together with a compound according to the present invention and, optionally, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or a diluent and/or an excipient.
• mixtures comprise as a further biologically active compound “atypical antipsychotics” such as, for example clozapine, ziprasidone, risperidone, aripiprazole or olanzapine for the treatment of positive and negative psychotic symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders (manifested by marked incoherence, derailment, tangentiality), and playful or disorganized behavior, as well as anhedonia, flattened affect, apathy, and social withdrawal, together with a compound according to the invention and, optionally, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or a diluent and/or an excipient.
• “atypical antipsychotics” such as, for example clozapine, ziprasidone, risperidone, aripiprazole or olanzapine for the treatment of positive and negative psychotic symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders (manifested by marked incoherence, derailment, tangentiality
• the further biologically active compound is an antibody including any functionally equivalent antibody or functional parts thereof.
• the antibody can preferably be monoclonal, chimeric or humanized.
• a mixture comprising in addition to the compound of the invention an antibody including functional parts thereof, or, more particularly, a monoclonal antibody including functional parts thereof, which recognizes and binds to amyloid ⁇ (A ⁇ ), particularly to the native conformation of amyloid ⁇ , that is to amyloid oligomers and fibers, but not to not linearized amyloid species.
• a ⁇ amyloid ⁇
• said antibodies are capable of inhibiting, in vitro and in vivo, the aggregation of amyloidogenic monomeric peptides, specifically ⁇ -amyloid monomeric peptides such as, for example, A ⁇ monomeric peptides 1-39; 1-40, 1-41, 1-42, or 1-43, but especially A ⁇ 1-42 monomeric peptides, into high molecular polymeric amyloid fibrils or filaments.
• amyloidogenic monomeric peptides specifically ⁇ -amyloid monomeric peptides such as, for example, A ⁇ monomeric peptides 1-39; 1-40, 1-41, 1-42, or 1-43, but especially A ⁇ 1-42 monomeric peptides, into high molecular polymeric amyloid fibrils or filaments.
• these antibodies are capable of preventing or slowing down the formation of amyloid plaques, particularly the amyloid form (1-42), which is know to become insoluble by change of secondary conformation and to be the major part of amyloid plaques in brains of diseased animals or humans.
• the mixture comprises antibodies which, upon co-incubation with preformed high molecular polymeric amyloid fibrils or filaments formed by the aggregation of amyloid monomeric peptides, specifically ⁇ -amyloid monomeric peptides such as, for example, A ⁇ monomeric peptides 1-39; 1-40, 1-41, 1-42, or 1-43, but especially A ⁇ 1-42 monomeric peptides, are capable of disaggregating said high molecular polymeric amyloid fibrils or filaments.
• ⁇ -amyloid monomeric peptides such as, for example, A ⁇ monomeric peptides 1-39; 1-40, 1-41, 1-42, or 1-43, but especially A ⁇ 1-42 monomeric peptides
• these antibodies are capable of preventing or slowing down the formation of amyloid plaques which leads to an alleviation of the symptoms associated with the disease and a delay or reversal of its progression.
• the mixture comprises an antibody, but especially a monoclonal antibody or functional parts thereof, which antibody is bifunctional or bispecific in that it exhibit both an aggregation inhibition property as well as a disaggregation property as defined herein before, particularly paired with a high degree of conformational sensitivity.
• the mixture comprises an antibody which recognizes and binds to a conformational epitope, particularly conformational epitope which is present in the N-terminal part of the amyloid ⁇ peptide, particularly embedded into the following core region of the N-terminal part of the amyloid ⁇ peptide:
• the mixture of the present invention comprises, in addition to the compound of the invention, an antibody, particularly a bifunctional antibody, but especially a monoclonal antibody, particularly a bifunctional monoclonal antibody, including any functionally equivalent antibody or functional parts thereof, which antibody has the characteristic properties of an antibody produced by a hybridoma cell line selected from the group consisting of FP 12H3, FP 12H3-C2, and FP 12H3-G2 deposited on Dec. 1, 2005 and Dec. 9, 2005, respectively, as DSM ACC2752, DSM ACC 2750 and DSM ACC2751, respectively, ET 7E3 deposited on Dec. 8, 2005 as DSM ACC2755, and EJ 7H3 deposited on Dec. 8, 2005 as DSM ACC2756.
• an antibody particularly a bifunctional antibody, but especially a monoclonal antibody, particularly a bifunctional monoclonal antibody, including any functionally equivalent antibody or functional parts thereof, which antibody has the characteristic properties of an antibody produced by a hybridoma cell line selected from the group consisting of
• the invention relates to an antibody including any functionally equivalent antibody or functional parts thereof produced by a hybridoma cell line selected from the group consisting of FP 12H3, FP 12H3-C2, and FP 12H3-G2 deposited on Dec. 1, 2005 and Dec. 9, 2005, respectively, as DSM ACC2752, DSM ACC 2750 and DSM ACC2751, respectively, ET 7E3 deposited on Dec. 8, 2005 as DSM ACC2755, and EJ 7H3 deposited on Dec. 8, 2005 as DSM ACC2756.
• a hybridoma cell line selected from the group consisting of FP 12H3, FP 12H3-C2, and FP 12H3-G2 deposited on Dec. 1, 2005 and Dec. 9, 2005, respectively, as DSM ACC2752, DSM ACC 2750 and DSM ACC2751, respectively, ET 7E3 deposited on Dec. 8, 2005 as DSM ACC2755, and EJ 7H3 deposited on Dec. 8, 2005 as DSM ACC2756.
• the antibody which is comprised in the mixture according to the invention is a chimeric antibody or a fragment thereof, or a humanized antibody or a fragment thereof.
• the antibody is a humanized antibody, it preferably exhibits a light chain and a heavy chain as depicted in SEQ ID No. 2 and SEQ ID No. 4 of International Application No. PCT/US2007/073504 or exhibits a light chain variable region and a heavy chain variable region as depicted in SEQ ID No. 1 and SEQ ID No. 3 of International Application No. PCT/US2007/073504. These sequences are also shown in the attached sequence listing.
• a mixture which comprises, in addition to the compound according to the invention and as described herein before, a peptide fragment from the N-terminal part of the A ⁇ peptide, particularly an A ⁇ peptide fragment consisting of a single or repetitive stretch of between 13 and 15 contiguous amino acid residues from the N-terminal part of the A ⁇ peptide, but particularly an A ⁇ peptide fragment consisting of amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of residues 1-15, 1-14, and 1-13 from the N-terminal part of the A ⁇ peptide, more particularly of residue 1-15, including functionally equivalent fragments thereof, but especially a A ⁇ peptide fragment as mentioned herein before attached to, or incorporated or reconstituted in a carrier particle/adjuvant such as, for example, a liposome.
• a carrier particle/adjuvant such as, for example, a liposome.
• the peptide fragment can be comprised in a vaccine composition.
• the peptide antigen is modified by a lipophilic or hydrophobic moiety, that facilitates insertion into the lipid bilayer of the liposome carrier/immune adjuvant, particularly by a lipophilic or hydrophobic moiety which functions as an anchor for the peptide in the liposome bilayer and has a dimension that leads to the peptide being positioned and stabilized in close proximity to the liposome surface.
• the lipophilic or hydrophobic moiety is a fatty acid, a triglyceride or a phospholipid, but especially a fatty acid, a triglyceride or a phospholipid.
• the hydrophobic moiety is palmitic acid and the liposome preparation may in addition contain an adjuvant such as, for example, lipid A, alum, calcium phosphate, interleukin 1, and/or microcapsules of polysaccharides and proteins, but particularly a detoxified lipid A, such as monophosphoryl or diphosphoryl lipid A, or alum.
• compositions that can be suitably used in the mixtures of the present invention are described, for example, in the published international application WO 2007/068411.
• Diagnosis of an amyloid-associated disease or condition or of a predisposition to an amyloid-associated disease or condition in a patient may be achieved by detecting the specific binding of a compound according to the invention to the amyloid protein in a sample or in situ, which includes bringing the sample or a specific body part or body area suspected to contain the amyloid antigen into contact with a compound of the invention which binds the amyloid protein, allowing the compound of the invention to bind to the amyloid protein to form a compound/protein complex, detecting the formation of the compound/protein complex and correlating the presence or absence of the compound/protein complex with the presence or absence of amyloid protein in the sample or specific body part or area, optionally comparing the amount of said compound/protein complex to a normal control value, wherein an increase in the amount of said aggregate compared to a normal control value may indicate that said patient is suffering from or is at risk of developing an amyloid-associated disease or condition.
• Monitoring minimal residual disease in a patient following treatment with a compound or a mixture according to the invention may be achieved by detecting the specific binding of a compound according to the invention to the amyloid protein in a sample or in situ, which includes bringing the sample or a specific body part or body area suspected to contain the amyloid antigen into contact with a compound of the invention which binds the amyloid protein, allowing the compound to bind to the amyloid protein to form an compound/protein complex, detecting the formation of the compound/protein complex and correlating the presence or absence of the compound/protein complex with the presence or absence of amyloid protein in the sample or specific body part or area, optionally comparing the amount of said compound/protein complex to a normal control value, wherein an increase in the amount of said aggregate compared to a normal control value may indicate that said patient may still suffer from a minimal residual disease.
• Predicting responsiveness of a patient to a treatment with a compound or composition or a mixture according to the invention may be achieved by detecting the specific binding of a compound according to the invention to the amyloid protein in a sample or in situ, which includes bringing the sample or a specific body part or body area suspected to contain the amyloid protein into contact with a compound of the invention which binds the amyloid protein, allowing the compound to bind to the amyloid protein to form an compound/protein complex, detecting the formation of the compound/protein complex and correlating the presence or absence of the compound/protein complex with the presence or absence of amyloid protein in the sample or specific body part or area, optionally comparing the amount of said compound/protein complex before and after onset of the treatment, wherein an decrease in the amount of said aggregate may indicate that said patient has a high potential of being responsive to the treatment.
• Biological samples that may be used in the diagnosis of an amyloid-associated disease or condition for diagnosing a predisposition to an amyloid-associated disease or condition or for monitoring minimal residual disease in a patient or for predicting responsiveness of a patient to a treatment with a compound or a composition or a mixture according to the invention and as described herein before are, for example, fluids such as serum, plasma, saliva, gastric secretions, mucus, cerebrospinal fluid, lymphatic fluid and the like or tissue or cell samples obtained from an organism such as neural, brain, cardiac or vascular tissue.
• any immunoassay known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be used such as, for example, assays which utilize indirect detection methods using secondary reagents for detection, ELISA's and immunoprecipitation and agglutination assays.
• assays which utilize indirect detection methods using secondary reagents for detection, ELISA's and immunoprecipitation and agglutination assays.
• assays which utilize indirect detection methods using secondary reagents for detection, ELISA's and immunoprecipitation and agglutination assays.
• WO96/13590 to Maertens and Stuyver, Zrein et al. (1998) and WO96/29605.
• the compound or composition or mixture according to the invention and as described herein before may be administered to the organism to be diagnosed by methods known in the art such as, for example, intravenous, intranasal, intraperitoneal, intracerebral, intraarterial injection such that a specific binding between the compound according to the invention and the amyloid antigen may occur.
• the compound/protein complex may be detected through a label attached to the compound.
• proteins or reagents can be labelled with compounds generally known to those skilled in the art including enzymes, radioisotopes, and fluorescent, luminescent and chromogenic substances including colored particles, such as colloidal gold and latex beads. Of these, radioactive labelling can be used for almost all types of assays and with most variations.
• Enzyme-conjugated labels are particularly useful when radioactivity must be avoided or when quick results are needed. Fluorochromes, although requiring expensive equipment for their use, provide a very sensitive method of detection. Antibodies useful in these assays include monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, and affinity purified polyclonal antibodies.
• the compound of the invention may be labelled indirectly by reaction with labelled substances that have an affinity for immunoglobulin, such as protein A or G or second antibodies.
• the antibody may be conjugated with a second substance and detected with a labelled third substance having an affinity for the second substance conjugated to the antibody.
• the antibody may be conjugated to biotin and the antibody-biotin conjugate detected using labelled avidin or streptavidin.
• the antibody may be conjugated to a hapten and the antibody-hapten conjugate detected using labelled anti-hapten antibody.
• the antibody is labelled indirectly by reactivity with a second antibody that has been labelled with a detectable label.
• the second antibody is preferably one that binds to antibodies of the animal from which the monoclonal antibody is derived. In other words, if the monoclonal antibody is a mouse antibody, then the labelled, second antibody is an anti-mouse antibody.
• this label is preferably an antibody-coated bead, particularly a magnetic bead.
• the label is preferably a detectable molecule such as a radioactive, fluorescent or an electrochemiluminescent substance.
• an alternative double antibody system often referred to as fast format systems because they are adapted to rapid determinations of the presence of an analyte, may also be employed within the scope of the present invention.
• the system requires high affinity between the antibody and the analyte.
• the presence of the amyloid antigen is determined using a pair of antibodies, each specific for amyloid antigen.
• One of said pairs of antibodies is referred to herein as a “detector antibody” and the other of said pair of antibodies is referred to herein as a “capture antibody”.
• the monoclonal antibody can be used as either a capture antibody or a detector antibody.
• the monoclonal antibody can also be used as both capture and detector antibody, together in a single assay.
• One embodiment of the present invention thus uses the double antibody sandwich method for detecting amyloid antigen in a sample of biological fluid.
• the analyte (amyloid antigen) is sandwiched between the detector antibody and the capture antibody, the capture antibody being irreversibly immobilized onto a solid support.
• the detector antibody would contain a detectable label, in order to identify the presence of the antibody-analyte sandwich and thus the presence of the analyte.
• Exemplary solid phase substances include, but are not limited to, microtiter plates, test tubes of polystyrene, magnetic, plastic or glass beads and slides which are well known in the field of radioimmunoassay and enzyme immunoassay. Methods for coupling antibodies to solid phases are also well known to those skilled in the art. More recently, a number of porous material such as nylon, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, glass fibers and other porous polymers have been employed as solid supports.
• the plaque burden in the tissue and/or body fluid can be calculated by methods known in the art such as that disclosed in Ding, J.-D. et al., “Targeting age-related macular degeneration with Alzheimer's disease based immunotherapies: Anti-amyloid-b antibody attenuates pathologies in an age-related macular degeneration mouse model”, Vision Research (2007), doi:10.1016/j.visres.2007.07.025.
• a compound according to the present invention can also be incorporated into a test kit for detecting an amyloid protein.
• the test kit typically comprises a container holding one or more compounds according to the present invention and instructions for using the compound for the purpose of binding to an amyloid protein to form a compound/protein complex and detecting the formation of the compound/protein complex such that presence or absence of the compound/protein complex correlates with the presence or absence of the amyloid protein.
• test kit refers in general to any diagnostic kit known in the art. More specifically, the latter term refers to a diagnostic kit as described in Zrein et al. (1998).
• Acetyl chloride (6.16 mL, 86.60 mmol) was added dropwise to a suspension of 5-amino-3-(4-methylphenyl)pyrazole (5 g, 28.86 mmol) and potassium carbonate (14 g, 101.03 mmol) in anhydrous MeCN (100 mL).
• the reaction mixture was refluxed for 16 hrs.
• the solvent was evaporated and the residue was resuspended in CHCl 3 , and washed with 1N HCl, sat. aq. NaHCO 3 , H 2 O and brine and dried over Na 2 SO 4 .
• the solvent was evaporated and the crude N-(1-acetyl-5-p-tolyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)acetamide was used without any further purification in the next step.
• 6-Bromo-N-(5-(5-bromopyridin-2-ylcarbamoyl)pyridin-2-yl)nicotinamide 6 (350 mg, 0.73 mmol) was dissolved in neat n-propylamine. The reaction mixture was heated for 3 days at reflux temperature. Then the solvent was evaporated to give a crude product, which was crystallized in EtOAc to give 6-(propylamino)-N-(5-(5-(propylamino)pyridin-2-ylcarbamoyl)pyridin-2-yl)nicotinamide 7 (122 mg, 38% yield) as a white solid. Mp. 249-250° C.
• N-Benzyl-5-((5-p-tolylthiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine (20 mg, 0.05 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic HCl (3 N, 1 mL) and CHCl 3 /AcOEt was added. The precipitated solid was filtered by decantation and dried in vacuo, yielding N-benzyl-545-p-tolylthiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine dihydrochloride as a white solid (11 mg, 10%). Mp. 105-106° C.
• Benzylamine (0.1 mL, 0.87 mmol) was added to a solution of tert-butyl 3-(2-bromothiazole-5-carboxamido)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-1-carboxylate (160 mg, 0.43 mmol) in dioxane (3 mL). The resulting solution was stirred at 85° C. for 24 hrs. The solvent was evaporated and the crude product was purified by column (0-10% MeOH/AcOEt gradient), yielding 2-(benzylamino)-N-(5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)thiazole-5-carboxamide (180 mg, 90%) as a solid.
• N-Benzyl-5-((5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine (59 mg, 0.13 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic HCl (3 N, 1 mL) and AcOEt was added. The precipitated solid was filtered by decantation and dried in vacuo, yielding N-benzyl-5-((5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine dihydrochloride as a yellow solid (14 mg, 25%). Mp. 78-80° C.
• Compound 2o was prepared as described for 2w, starting from 5-p-tolylthiazol-2-amine and 2-(methyl(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)amino)thiazole-5-carbaldehyde: (70 mg, 78%). Mp. not determined (it decomposes above 140° C.).
• N-(Pyridin-2-yl)-5-((thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine 15 mg, 0.05 mmol was dissolved in methanolic HCl (3 N, 1 mL) and Et 2 O was added. The precipitated solid was filtered by decantation and dried in vacuum, yielding N-(pyridin-2-yl)-5-((thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine trihydrochloride (14 mg, 2%, 95.5% pure by HPLC). Mp. decomposition >145° C.
• the 6-bromo-N-(5-fluoropyridin-2-yl)nicotinamide 3 (500 mg, 1.68 mmol) was dissolved in benzyl amine (2 ml), and heated at 140° C. for 48 h. Then the reaction mixture was concentrated. The product was recrystallized from ethyl acetate and pet-ether to give 6-(benzylamino)-N-(5-fluoropyridin-2-yl)nicotinamide 4 (500 mg, 92%) as a white solid.
• N-(6-Bromopyridin-2-yl)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide 3 (300 mg, 0.67 mmol) was dissolved in benzylamine (3 ml). The reaction mixture was heated for 24 hrs at 130° C.
• reaction mixture was purified on a silica gel column (1:5 EtOAc:Pet-ether) to give N-(6-(benzylamino)pyridin-2-yl)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide 4 as a white solid (187 mg, 59%). Mp. 139-140° C.
• 6-Bromo-N-(5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)picolinamide 3 (200 mg, 0.55 mmol) was dissolved in neat benzylamine (5 ml). The reaction mixture was heated for 24 hrs. Then the solvent was evaporated and the residue was purified on silica gel (EtOAc: pet-ether, 1:4) to give 6-(benzylamino)-N-(5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)picolinamide 4 (180 mg, 84%). Mp. 185-187° C.
• the reaction mixture was concentrated, diluted with chloroform (100 ml) and washed with water and brine, dried over Na 2 SO 4 and the solvent was evaporated.
• the crude product was dried well and dissolved in THF (10 ml), subsequently BMS (0.3 ml) was added.
• the reaction mixture was heated for overnight and cooled, then MeOH and conc. HCl were added.
• the reaction mixture was again heated for another 5 hrs.
• the reaction mixture was cooled, concentrated and diluted with water (5 ml), the pH was adjusted to 14 with NaOH pellets, and extracted with chloroform (50 ml ⁇ 2). All organic layers were washed with water and brine, dried over Na 2 SO 4 and the solvent was evaporated.
• N-Methyl-5-((thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine (28 mg, 0.12 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic HCl (3 N, 1 mL) and Et 2 O was added. The precipitated solid was filtered by decantation and dried in vacuo, yielding N-methyl-5-((thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine dihydrochloride as a white solid (29 mg, 79%). Mp. 128-130° C.
• Compound 2aa was prepared as described for 2w starting from 2-(methyl-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)amino)thiazole-5-carbaldehyde and 4-(4-chloro phenyl)thiazol-2-amine: (30 mg, 77%). Mp. 122-123° C.
• N-Propyl-5-((5-((4-p-tolylthiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)-thiazol-2-amine (5 mg, 0.01 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic HCl (3 N, 0.5 mL) and Et 2 O was added. The precipitated solid was filtered by decantation and dried in vacuo, yielding N-propyl-5-((5-((4-p-tolylthiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)thiazol-2-amine trihydrochloride as a white solid (1.6 mg, 32%).
• Methyl 1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)-5-nitro-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylate 500 mg, 0.70 mmol was dissolved in a mixture of MeOH/THF/H 2 O (1:2:1, 20 mL). Lithium hydroxide (56.3 mg, 2.35 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 16 hrs. The reaction mixture was diluted with water and washed with DCM. The aqueous phase was evaporated which gave 1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)-5-nitro-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (300 mg, 64%) as a white solid which was used without further purification in the next step.
• Compound 2ak was prepared as described for 2 h starting from 4-(4-chlorophenyl)thiazol-2-amine and 2-bromothiazole-5-carboxylic acid (31 mg, 49%). Mp. 105-106° C.
• milogP and TPSA values of various compounds are indicated in table 1. milogP and TPSA values were calculated according to the software available on the world wide web (http://www.molinspiration.com), provided by P. Ertl of Novartis Pharma AG.
• a number of the small molecules were tested for their capacity to inhibit the aggregation of amyloid beta (A ⁇ ) 1-42 peptide using a thioflavin T spectrofluorescence assay.
• a ⁇ 1-42 lyophilized powder (Bachem) was reconstituted in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) to 1 mM.
• HFIP hexafluoroisopropanol
• the peptide solution was sonicated for 15 min at room temperature, agitated overnight, and aliquots were placed into non-siliconized microcentrifuge tubes.
• the HFIP was then evaporated under a stream of argon.
• the resulting peptide film was dried under vacuum for 10 min, tightly sealed and stored at ⁇ 80° C. until used.
• the small molecules were dissolved before each experiment in anhydrous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, Sigma-Aldrich) to reach a concentration of 7.4 mM.
• DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide
• a ⁇ 1-42 peptide film was dissolved in DMSO to reach 400 ⁇ M.
• Assay solution in PBS buffer was prepared in non-siliconized incubation tubes to reach the following concentrations: 330 ⁇ M small molecule, 33 ⁇ M A ⁇ 1-42, 10 ⁇ M thioflavin T (ThT), and 12.8% DMSO. Therefore, the final molar ratio of small molecule to A ⁇ 1-42 was 10:1.
• a positive control without a small molecule was prepared to measure maximum RFU.
• a negative control without A ⁇ 1-42 was prepared for each small molecule.
• 3-Aminopyrazole trimer (Trimer) was tested in all assays to ascertain reproducibility between independent experiments. The solutions were incubated for 24 hrs at 37° C., and the spectrofluorescence (relative fluorescence units; RFU) was read in six replicates in black 384-well assay plates (Perkin-Elmer) on a Perkin-Elmer FluoroCount spectrofluorometer. Inhibition of aggregation is expressed as mean % inhibition or ⁇ 1 standard deviation (SD) according to the following equation:
• % ⁇ ⁇ inhibition ( RFU ⁇ ⁇ of ⁇ ⁇ positive ⁇ ⁇ control - RFU ⁇ ⁇ of ⁇ ⁇ negative ⁇ ⁇ control ) - ( RFU ⁇ ⁇ of ⁇ ⁇ sample ⁇ ⁇ with ⁇ ⁇ A ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 1- ⁇ 42 - RFU ⁇ ⁇ of ⁇ ⁇ sample ⁇ ⁇ without ⁇ ⁇ A ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 1 ⁇ - ⁇ 42 ) ( RFU ⁇ ⁇ of ⁇ ⁇ positive ⁇ ⁇ control - RFU ⁇ ⁇ of ⁇ ⁇ negative ⁇ ⁇ control ) ⁇ 100
• Cut-off criterium for the selection of functional molecules was defined at 50% inhibition capacity.
• the small molecules were tested for their capacity to inhibit aggregation of A ⁇ 1-42 in the ThT assay.
• the results for the molecules are summarized in the following table. All the small molecules synthesized inhibited the aggregation of A ⁇ 1-42 in the ThT assay to some extent and a number of the molecules tested demonstrated an inhibition capacity over 50%.
• the small molecules were evaluated for their capacity to mediate inhibition of A ⁇ 1-42 aggregation at a 10:1 small molecule to A ⁇ 1-42 molar ratio. The results are expressed as mean ⁇ standard deviation of two independent experiments.
• RGC retinal ganglion cell
• the cells are washed three times with RCG medium in the presence of a protease inhibitor to stop the papain action.
• the tissue is then triturated by passing it quickly up and down through a Pasteur pipette until the cells are dispersed.
• a commercially available Coulter counter is used to determine cell density in the cell suspension, before culturing the cells in 95% air/5% CO 2 at 37° C.
• the cells are incubated with L-glutamate for three days in the presence or absence of a compound of the invention. Cells cultured in buffer alone serve as control.
• the cells are fixed with 3.7% formaldehyde in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at room temperature for 30 minutes, rinsed three times in PBS and incubated for 1 hour in PBS containing RGC specific markers Thy1.1 or NF-L antibody. The antibody is then removed by washing and the cells are incubated for 30 minutes with fluorescence-labeled secondary antibodies goat anti-mouse IgG, goat anti-rabbit IgG or rabbit anti-goat IgG. At the end of the incubation, the cells are washed, stained for 5 minutes with DAPI solution and rinsed. Surviving RGCs are counted by fluorescence microscopy.
• PBS phosphate buffered saline
• RRC retinal ganglion cell
• the animals are first anesthetized with intraperitoneal ketamine (75 mg/kg) and xylazine (5 mg/kg) and topical proparacaine 1% eye drops. Two alternative methods are then used to artificially elevate IOP in one eye (unilaterally) in rats and mice.
• the anesthetized animals receive laser-induced injury to the trabecular meshwork by treating the aqueous outflow area with a 532-nm diode laser at the slit lamp perpendicular to the trabeculae and parallel to the iris.
• the animals receive an initial treatment of 40 to 50 spots of 50- ⁇ m size, 0.4 W, and 0.6 second duration.
• the anesthesized animals receive a 50 ⁇ l injection of hypertonic saline solution into the episcleral veins in one eye using a microneedle with a force just sufficient to blanch the vein.
• the DARC method consists in administering intravitreally fluorophore-conjugated Annexin 5, which specifically binds to apoptotic cells, to the animals and visualizing the RCGs undergoing apoptosis in vivo. If necessary, this method may be used in conjunction with backlabelling of the optic nerve from the SCN to identify live RCGs which no longer possess an intact axon and have lost connectivity with their targets.
• RGCs endpoint histological analysis of the retina and optic nerve is performed at sacrifice.
• the retinas of the animals are fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and stained in sections or whole mount using the RGC specific markers, such as Thy1.1, NF-L and SMI 32, as well as antibodies specific for cells undergoing apoptosis.
• the total number of RGCs is measured at 2, 4, and 8, and 16 weeks after surgical elevation of IOP.
• the optic nerves of the animals are dissected and the nerves are fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, sectioned, and stained with toluidine blue for analysis.

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