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  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K31/00—Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
  • A61K31/185—Acids; Anhydrides, halides or salts thereof, e.g. sulfur acids, imidic, hydrazonic or hydroximic acids
  • A61K31/19—Carboxylic acids, e.g. valproic acid
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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  • A61P15/00—Drugs for genital or sexual disorders; Contraceptives
  • A61P15/08—Drugs for genital or sexual disorders; Contraceptives for gonadal disorders or for enhancing fertility, e.g. inducers of ovulation or of spermatogenesis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
  • A61P3/04—Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
  • A61P3/06—Antihyperlipidemics
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
  • A61P3/08—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism for glucose homeostasis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
  • A61P3/08—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism for glucose homeostasis
  • A61P3/10—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism for glucose homeostasis for hyperglycaemia, e.g. antidiabetics
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P5/00—Drugs for disorders of the endocrine system
  • A61P5/48—Drugs for disorders of the endocrine system of the pancreatic hormones
  • A61P5/50—Drugs for disorders of the endocrine system of the pancreatic hormones for increasing or potentiating the activity of insulin
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
  • A61P9/10—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
  • A61P9/12—Antihypertensives
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C53/00—Saturated compounds having only one carboxyl group bound to an acyclic carbon atom or hydrogen
  • C07C53/132—Saturated compounds having only one carboxyl group bound to an acyclic carbon atom or hydrogen containing rings
  • C07C53/134—Saturated compounds having only one carboxyl group bound to an acyclic carbon atom or hydrogen containing rings monocyclic

Definitions

• the invention described herein relates to the use of derivatives of ⁇ -phenylthiocarboxylic and ⁇ -phenyloxycarboxylic acids for the preparation of a medicine of general formula (I) with serum-glucose- lowering and/ or serum-lipid-lowering activity.
• Diabetes is a widespread disease present throughout the world and is associated with major clinical complications including microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy, and macrovascular complications such as atherosclerosis, peripheral vasculopathies, myocardial infarction and stroke.
• microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy
• macrovascular complications such as atherosclerosis, peripheral vasculopathies, myocardial infarction and stroke.
• the insulin resistance that characterises diabetes is also involved in syndrome X, in polycystic ovary syndrome, in obesity, in hypertension, in hyperlipidaemia and in hypercholesterolaemia (J.
• Hyperlipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia and hypertension are known to play a decisive role in the onset of coronary heart disease (CHD).
• CHD coronary heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes is characterised by a reduced sensitivity to the action of insulin (insulin resistance) and gives rise to an increase in insulin levels in the body in an attempt to compensate for this defect and to a consequent increase in glucose levels.
• insulin resistance is involved in many disease conditions other than type 2 diabetes itself, such as dyslipidaemia, obesity, arterial hypertension, fatty liver and certain macrovascular and microvascular characteristics of diabetic disease itself.
• the association between insulin resistance and obesity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia is known as syndrome X.
• a number of drugs have been on the market for some time now such as the biguanides and sulphonylureas.
• the best known of the biguanides is metformin but its mechanism of action is not clear and it presents side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders and the danger of acidosis in conditions of renal, cardiac, hepatic, pulmonary insufficiency, etc.
• the sulphonylureas promote the secretion of insulin by the ⁇ -cells and have episodes of hypoglycaemia as a possible side effect.
• all the monotherapies with sulphonylureas or with metformin are doomed to failure in the long term (UKPDS Study).
• Recently introduced onto the market are the thiazolidinediones, which are insulin-sensitising antidiabetic agents such as troglitazone (J. Med.
• PPARs Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors
• the insulin-sensitising action would appear to be related to the fatty acid recruitment action regulated by the activated PPAR ⁇ receptor, which is thought to lead to an improvement in the insulin resistance of the tissues by improving glycaemia and lowering insulin levels (Diabetes, 1998, 47, 507-514).
• this new class of antidiabetic agents though maintaining the characteristics typical of PPAR ⁇ activation, are thought to lead to less weight gain and milder oedema.
• These compounds are potentially capable of exerting good control of diabetic disease by presenting a serum-glucose-lowering and serum- lipid-lowering action with fewer of the side effects typical of the first series of compounds in the thiazolidonedione class, which were exclusively ligands of the PPAR ⁇ receptor.
• the structures claimed in patents WO 01 / 16120 and WO 02/067912 share the characteristic in common that they present a fibrate-like portion.
• Hyperlipidaemia is a severe aspect of diabetic disease, constituting, together with the hypertension that is often present, a risk factor for atherosclerosis and for cardiovascular disease which is the first cause of death in diabetes.
• the formula (I) compounds are endowed with low toxicity and are therefore useful for the treatment of hyperglycaemia and/ or hyperlipidaemia and for increasing HDL-cholesterol levels.
• Preferred applications are the prophylaxis and treatment of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, the microvascular complications of diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy, the macrovascular complications of ' diabetes such as atherosclerosis, peripheral vasculopathy, myocardial infarction, stroke, syndrome X, polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, hyperlipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, the various forms of insulin resistance, fatty liver, particularly NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) and the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD).
• One object of the present invention is therefore the use of formula (I) compounds:
• ⁇ R is -H; aryl or heteroaryl, mono, bicyclic or tricyclic, possibly substituted with one or more halogen groups, nitro, hydroxy, alkyl and alkoxy, possibly substituted with one or more halogen groups; n is 0-3; p is 0- 1;
• X is -OH, -O-alkyl C ⁇ -C 4 ;
• Rl and R2 which may be the same or different, are selected from: -H; alkyl C1-C5, -COX; Q is selected from: NH, O, S, -NHC(0)0-, NHC(0)NH-, -NHC(0)S-, -OC(0)NH-, -NHC(S)0-, -NHC(S)NH-,-C(0)NH-; and Y is O, S; and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, racemic mixtures, single enantiomers, stereoisomers or geometric isomers, and tautomers, for the preparation of a medicine for the prophylaxis and treatment of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes; of the microvascular complications of diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy; of the macrovascular complications of diabetes, such as atherosclerosis.
• peripheral vasculopathy myocardial infarction and stroke; of syndrome X, polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, of hyperlipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, and the various forms of insulin resistance; of fatty liver, particularly NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis); for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), and for increasing HDL-cholesterol levels.
• NAFLD non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• NASH non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
• compositions containing as their active ingredient one or more formula (I) compounds and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable diluent and/ or excipient.
• a first group of preferred compounds consists in compounds in which R is an aryl, possibly substituted with one or more halogen atoms, alkyl, alkoxy or haloalkyl, preferably methyl, methoxy or trifluoromethyl, nitro, mono- o di-alkylamine.
• a second group of preferred compounds consists of compounds in which R is a heteroaiyl, preferably containing nitrogen as heteroatom, e.g. indole and carbazole, bound to the rest of the molecule via all the positions allowed; particularly preferred among these are the 1-indolyl and 1-carbazolyl.
• R is a heteroaiyl, preferably containing nitrogen as heteroatom, e.g. indole and carbazole, bound to the rest of the molecule via all the positions allowed; particularly preferred among these are the 1-indolyl and 1-carbazolyl.
• p is 1, n is 0,
• the preparation of compounds with general formula (I) was done by reacting the general formula II compound with a base, preferably inorganic, and preferably sodium hydride, to form the corresponding anion which was then reacted with a general formula III compound containing an exit group, such as chlorine, bromine, iodine, mesyl, tosyl and diazo (in the case of the diazo group, instead of an inorganic base a bivalent rhodium acetate dimer is used as catalyst), e.g.
• a base preferably inorganic, and preferably sodium hydride
• the compounds prepared with this method were obtained starting from VI dissolved in aprotic solvents, for example toluene, ether, benzene, preferably tetrahydrofuran, then added with the related isocyanate, thioisocyanate or chloroformiate VII, possibly in the presence of an inorganic or organic base, preferably triethylamine in a catalytic or stoichiometric amount and leaving it to react for a time period ranging from 6 to 72 hours, preferably 48 hours at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C, preferably 25°C.
• aprotic solvents for example toluene, ether, benzene, preferably tetrahydrofuran
• K is equal to COOH condensing agents such as diethylphosphorocyanidate, EEDQ, DCC or CDI and the like were used in a ratio of 1 :3 equivalents to the substrates, preferably 1 : 1.5 equivalents, or the process passed through the formation of the acid chloride, conducting the condensation reaction in organic solvents such as DMF, CH 3 CN, CHC1 3 , THF and the like, at a temperature ranging from 20 to 80°C, preferably 25°C, with a reaction time ranging from 18 hours to 3 days, preferably 24 hours.
• organic solvents such as DMF, CH 3 CN, CHC1 3 , THF and the like
• the product was prepared starting from 3-mercaptophenol (2.00 g, 15.9 mmol) in 40 mL of anyhdrous CH3CN, NaH 80% (0.572 g 19.1 mmol) at 0°C. After 5 minutes, methyl-2-bromoisobutyrate (2.88 g, 15.9 mmol) was added to the suspension. The reaction mixture thus obtained was left overnight under magnetic stirring at room temperature. After this period the mixture was poured into H2O and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous sodium sulphate and evaporated to dryness. The residue obtained was purified by silica gel chromatography using CHCI3/CH3OH 98/2 as eluent.
• the product was prepared starting from methyl 2-(3- hydroxyphenylthio)isobutyrate (prepared as described above) (1.00 g, 4.42 mmol), and 4-chlorophenetyl alcohol (0.692 g, 4.42 mmol) in 15 mL of anhydrous THF, to which were added DIAD (1.16 g, 5.75 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (1.500 g, 5.75 mmol) piecemeal in small portions, keeping the temperature below 30°C.
• DIAD 1.16 g, 5.75 mmol
• triphenylphosphine 1.500 g, 5.75 mmol
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST2195 (prepared as described in example 1) (0.150 g, 0.41 mmol) in 9 mL of methanol to which were added 4 mL of NaOH IN. The solution thus obtained was left for 48 hours at room temperature under magnetic stirring. After this time period, the solution was diluted with water, acidified with HCl IN and the. aqueous phase extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na2S ⁇ 4 and filtered and the solvent was evaporated in vacuo.
• step 1 The title product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method A (step 1) starting from 4-mercaptophenol (0.500 g, 4.0 mmol) in 10 mL of anhydrous CH3CN, to which was added NaH 80% (0.144 g, 4.8 mmol). The mixture was cooled to O°C and after 5 minutes methyl- ⁇ -bromoisobutyrate (0.724 g, 4.0 mmol) was added. The reaction was left for two days at room temperature under magnetic stirring. After this period, the mixture was poured into H 2 O and extracted with ethyl acetate; the aqueous phase was then acidified with HCl IN and extracted again with ethyl acetate.
• the title product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method B starting from methyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl- thio)isobutyrate (prepared as described above) (0.800 g, 3.54 mmol) and 4-chlorophenetyl alcohol (0.554 g, 3.54 mmol) in 20 mL of anhydrous THF.
• DEAD 0.801 g, 4.6 mmol
• triphenylphosphine (1.205 g, 4.6 mmol
• the title product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method B starting from methyl 2-(3- hydroxyphenylthio)iso-butyrate (prepared as described in example 1) (0.280 g, 1.24 mmol) and DIAD (0.325 g, 1.61 mmol) dissolved in 3 mL of anhydrous THF and added dropwise to a solution of 2,4- dichlorophenetylalcohol (0.260 g, 1.36 mmol), and triphenylphosphine (0.422 g, 1.61 mmol) in 4 mL of anhydrous THF at 0°C. The reaction was left overnight under magnetic stirring at room temperature.
• the title product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method B starting from methyl 2-(3- hydroxyphenylthio)iso-butyrate (prepared as described in example 1) (0.609 g, 2.7 mmol), 9H-carbazol-9-ethanol (0.570 g, .2.7 mmol), DIAD (0.708 g, 3.5 mmol), and triphenylphosphine (0.917 g, 3.5 mmol) added piecemeal in small portions, keeping the temperature below 30°C, in 14 mL of anhydrous THF. The reaction was left under magnetic stirring for 18 hours at room temperature.
• the product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method B starting from methyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenylthio) isobutyrate (prepared as described in example 3) (0.609 g, 2.7 mmol), 9H-carbazol-9-ethanol (0.570 g, 2.7 mmol), DIAD (0.708 g, 3.5 mmol), and triphenylphosphine (0.917 g, 3.5 mmol) added piecemeal in small portions, keeping the temperature below 30°C, in 14 mL of anhydrous THF. The reaction was left under magnetic stirring for 18 hours at room temperature.
• the product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method B (with the exception of DEAD which was replaced by DIAD) starting from methyl 2-(3-hydroxyphenylthio)isobutyrate (prepared as described in example 1) (1.110 g, 4.9 mmol), 2-(2- naphthyl)ethanol (0.842 g, 4.9 mmol), DIAD (1.290 g, 6.37 mmol), and triphenylphosphine (1.670 g, 6.37 mmol) in 20 mL of anhydrous THF. The reaction was left overnight under magnetic stirring at room temperature. After this period, the solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by silica gel chromatography using hexane/AcOEt 7/3 as eluent.
• the product was prepared according to the procedure described in Method B starting from methyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenylthio) isobutyrate (prepared as described in example 3) (1.000 g, 4.42 mmol), 2-(2-naphthyl)ethanol (0.760 g, 4.42 mmol), DEAD (1.000 g, 5.75 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (1.500 g, 5.75 mmol) added piecemeal in small portions, maintaining the temperature below 30°C, in 30 mL of anhydrous THF. The reaction was left overnight under magnetic stirring at room temperature. After this period, the solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by silica gel chromatography using hexane/AcOEt 9/ 1 as eluent.
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST 1929 (prepared as described in example 3) (0.572 g, 1.57 mmol) in 36 mL of methanol to which were added 15.7 mL of NaOH IN. The solution obtained was left overnight under magnetic stirring at reflux temperature. After this period, the solution was acidified with HCl IN and the aqueous phase extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na2S ⁇ 4 and filtered and the solvent evaporated in vacuo. The product was purified by chromatography on a silica gel column, eluting with hexane/AcOEt 7:3.
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST2534 (prepared as described in example 4) (0.700 g, 1.75 mmol) in 11 mL of CH OH to which were added 21 mL of NaOH IN.
• the solution obtained was left under magnetic stirring for two days at 40°C. After this period, the CH3OH was evaporated in vacuo and the aqueous phase was acidified with HCl IN and extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na2S ⁇ 4 and filtered and the solvent evaporated in vacuo.
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST2531 (prepared as described in example 5) (0.130 g, 0.32 mmol) in 3 mL of tetrahydrofuran, to which were added 3 mL of an aqueous solution of LiOH (0.040 g, 1.67 mmol).
• the suspension obtained was left overnight under magnetic stirring at room temperature. After this period, the tetrahydrofuran was evaporated in vacuo and the aqueous phase acidified with HCl IN and extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na S ⁇ 4 and filtered and the solvent evaporated in vacuo.
• the residue obtained was purified on a silica gel chromatography column, eluting with CHCI3/CH3OH 9.6/0.4.
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST1983 (prepared as described in example 8) (1 g, 2.71 mmol) in 15 mL of CH3OH to which were added 30 mL of NaOH IN. The solution obtained was left under magnetic stirring for 48 hours at 40°C. After this period, the CH3OH was evaporated in vacuo and the aqueous phase acidified with HCl IN and extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na2S0 4 and filtered and the solvent evaporated in vacuo. The residue obtained was purified on a silica gel chromatography column, eluting with CHCI3/CH3OH 9.6/0.4.
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST2167 (prepared as described in example 10) (0.270 g, 0.71 mmol) in 18 mL of CH3OH to which were added 15 mL of NaOH 2N. The solution obtained was left for 48 hours under magnetic stirring at reflux temperature. After this period, the reaction mixture was cooled, acidified with HCl IN and extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na2S ⁇ 4 and filtered and the solvent evaporated in vacuo. The residue obtained was purified on a silica gel chromatography column, eluting with hexane/AcOEt 7/3.
• the product was prepared starting from a solution of ST201 1 (prepared as described in example 11) (0.498 g, 1.29 mmol) in 30 mL of CH OH to which were added 12.9 mL di NaOH IN. The solution obtained was left overnight under magnetic stirring at reflux temperature. After this time, the reaction mixture was cooled, acidified with HCl IN and extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was dried on anhydrous Na2SU4 and filtered and the solvent evaporated in vacuo.
• Example 26 Antidiabetic and serum-lipid-lowering activity in the db/db mouse Mutations in laboratory animals have made it possible to develop models presenting non-insulin-dependent diabetes associated with obesity, hyperlipidaemia and insulin resistance and that enable us to test the efficacy of new antidiabetes compounds (Reed and Scribner, Diabetes, obesity and metabolism 1: 75 - 86, 1999).
• a genetically diabetic mouse model widely used is the C57BL/KsJ db/db mouse.
• the genetic basis of this model is a defect in the leptin receptor gene (db/db mouse), which causes leptin resistance and leads to overeating, obesity, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance, with subsequent symptoms of insufficient insular secretion and hyperglycaemia (Kodama et al, Diabetologia 37: 739-744, 1994; Zhang et al, Nature 372: 425-432, 1994; Chen et al, Cell 84: 491- 495, 1996).
• the db/db mouse presents characteristics that resemble those of type 2 diabetes in human subjects and is useful for assaying insulin- sensitising compounds.
• mice used in the experiments were supplied by Jackson Lab (via Ch. River). After 10 days' acclimatisation in standard conditions (22 ⁇ 2°C; 55 + 15% humidity; 15-20 air changes/hour; 12-hour light-darkness cycle with light from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) on a standard 4 FR21 diet (Mucedola), blood samples were taken in postabsorption conditions (fasting from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.) from the caudal vein with the aid of a Jelco 22G catheter (Johnson and Johnson). Plasma levels of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acids and urea were checked for a well-matched distribution of mice in the treatment groups.
• mice were treated orally twice daily (at 8.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.) for 25 days (Experiment I) or for 12 days (Experiment II) with the compounds according to the invention, using as reference compounds rosiglitazone, bezafibrate and fenofibrate (Experiment I) or the compound as in example 1 (Experiment II).
• the compounds were administered at a dose equivalent to 25 mg/kg of the compound ST2195 of example 1 according to the invention, in 10 ml/ kg of vehicle (CMC 1% containing Tween 80 0.5% in deionized H2O).
• rosiglitazone was administered at the dose of 5 mg/kg (Lohray et al. J. Med Chem 41, 1619 - 1630, 1998), bezafibrate at 24.8 mg/kg and fenofibrate at 24.7 mg/kg.
• the compounds according to the invention also show a good ability to reduce serum triglyceride levels, similar to that of rosiglitazone and fenofibrate (Tables 6 and 6a).
• the compounds according to the invention increased HDL-cholesterol levels (Tables 6 and 6a) and brought about a lower weight gain than that caused by rosiglitazone and one close to that induced by fibrates (Table 7 and 7a).
• PPAR ⁇ agonism increases fatty acid oxidation in tissues, reducing the accumulation of intracellular triglyceride s, which favour insulin resistance (Virkam ⁇ ki et al, Diabetes 50, 2337 - 2343, 2001; Mensink et al, Diabetes 50, 2545 - 2554, 2001; Kelley and Goodpaster, Diabetes Care 24, 933 - 941, 2001).
• Example 1 25.0 303 ⁇ 16 A - 38
• Example 1 25.0 216 ⁇ 16 A - 48
• Example 1 25.0 223 ⁇ 20 ⁇ - 36
• Example 2 24.0 155 ⁇ 21 ⁇ - 66 Number of animals per group: 6. Student's t-test: ⁇ and A indicate P ⁇ 0.01 and P ⁇ 0.001, respectively, vs control.
• Example 1 25.0 144 ⁇ 3 ⁇ - 58
• Example 2 24.0 128 ⁇ 8 A - 48 Number of animals per group: 6.
• AUC Area under the curve
• AUC Area under the curve
• OGTT glucose 3 g/kg
• Example 2 24.0 24517 ⁇ 2261 A - 43 Number of animals per group: 6. Student's t-test: A indicates P ⁇ 0.001 vs control.
• Table 5 Plasma glucose and fructosamine levels in db/db mice treated orally twice daily with the compound as in example I, with fibrates (at doses equivalent to 25 mg/kg of the compound as in example 1) and with rosiglitazone (5 mg/kg), after 25 days' treatment.
• Example 1 25.0 206 ⁇ 8 ⁇ - 55 0.41 ⁇ 0.04 A - 49
• Table 5a Plasma glucose levels in db/db mice treated orally twice daily with the compound as in example I and as in example 2 (at a dose equivalent to 25 mg/kg of the compound as in example 1), after 12 days' treatment.
• Example 1 25.0 356 ⁇ 30 A - 38
• Example 1 25.0 45.3 ⁇ 2.3 A - 53 98.0 ⁇ 3.5 0 + 20
• Table 6a Plasma triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels in db/db mice treated orally twice daily with the compound as in example I and as in example 2 (at a dose equivalent to 25 mg/kg of the compound as in example 1), after 12 days' treatment.
• Example 1 25.0 45.1 ⁇ 1.4 A 48 L23.7 ⁇ 1.9 A + 43
• Example 2 24.0 48.6 ⁇ 2.5 A 44 102.5 ⁇ 4.7 ⁇ + 19
• Example 1 25.0 38.6 ⁇ 0.4 - 1 40.3 ⁇ 0.8 D + 7
• Example 2 24.0 37.8 ⁇ 0.5 - 3 39.4 ⁇ 0.9 + 5
• the compounds according to the invention are also endowed with PPAR ⁇ agonist activity.
• the identification of PPAR ⁇ agonists is done by in-vitro screening based on cell biology techniques.
• Transactivation assays in eukaryotic cells make it possible to quantitatively evaluate the ability of a hypothetical ligand to favour the interaction of a transcriptional factor with its own response element within a promoter [Sladek R. et al, in: Nuclear Receptors: A Practical Approach, Oxford Press pp. 63-68 (1999)].
• PPAR ⁇ Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ⁇
• RXR 9-cis retinoic acid
• the dimer formed is capable of binding to the peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE), located in the target gene promoter, only if activated by the presence of a ligand, of at least one of the two receptors [Berger J. and Moller D.E., Annu. Rev. Med. 53, 409-35 (2002)].
• PPRE peroxisome proliferator response element
• a transactivation assay thus requires the simultaneous presence of the following in the preselected cell line: a) a sufficient amount of PPAR ⁇ ; b) a sufficient amount of the 9 cis-retinoic acid receptor (RXR); c) a chimeric plasmid containing the reporter gene controlled by a PPRE, located upstream of a viral heterologous promoter.
• the reporter gene is chloramphenicol-acetyl transferase
• the plasmid pCHHO contains the gene for ⁇ -galactosidase and is co-transfected together with the reporter gene CAT, providing the internal control for the efficiency of transfection and the normalisation of the results.
• a transactivation assay is used in which the expression vector mPPAR ⁇ LBD/Gal4DBD allows the synthesis by the transfected cell of a chimeric protein, in which the ligand binding domain (LBD) of PPAR ⁇ is fused with the DNA binding domain (DBD) of the transcription factor GAL4 of yeast [Luckow B. et al, Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 5490 (1987)].
• a plasmid ( ⁇ G5CAT) is transfected which contains 5 copies of the high-affinity binding site for GAL4 (also called UAS, upstream activating sequence), upstream of the viral promoter Elb fused with the CAT reporter gene [Moya- Camarena S.Y.
• a monkey kidney fibroblast cell line (COS-7) was used [Elbrecht A. et al, J. Biol Chem. 274 (12), 7913-22 (1999)].
• the cells were co- transfected with the reporter. vector, the expression plasmid coding for the fusion protein Gal4DBD/PPAR ⁇ LBD and the control vector pCHHO.
• the cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of the study compounds and CAT activity was evaluated. Untreated cells were used as controls.
• Monkey kidney fibroblasts were cultured according to the usual cell culture techniques, at 37°C in a 5% v/v carbon dioxide atmosphere using as the growth medium DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium) modified with 3.7 g/1 of sodium bicarbonate, 4 mM L-glutamine, 4.5 g/1 of glucose, 1 mM sodium pyruvate and 10% v/v of foetal bovine serum, in the presence of streptomycin 100 ⁇ g/ml and penicillin 100 U/ml final.
• DMEM Dynamicetas modified Eagle's medium
• streptomycin 100 ⁇ g/ml and penicillin 100 U/ml final.
• Transient transfection of COS-7 cells The cells were co-transfected using the transfection reagent FuGENE6 (Roche), consisting of a defined mixture of lipids capable of complexing the DNA and of transporting it into the cells. Twenty- four hours prior to transfection the cells were plated at a density of 1.2 x 10 5 cells/well in 12-well plates and maintained, at 37°C in a 5% v/v CO2 atmosphere. The culture medium, devoid of serum, was replaced 2 hours before transfection, and then the cells were treated with the transfection reagent FuGENE ⁇ according to the instructions suggested by the supplier.
• FuGENE6 FuGENE6
• the transfection mixture containing 0.8 ⁇ g of the expression vector, 1.6 ⁇ g of the reporter vector, 0.8 ⁇ g of the control vector and 9 ⁇ l of the FuGENE6 reagent per well was added directly to the cells in the presence of culture medium devoid of serum. After 5 hours, the transfection medium was replaced by 1 ml of culture medium complete with serum and antibiotics in the presence or absence of the molecules to be tested at 3 different concentrations (2, 20 and 100 ⁇ M). Wy- 14,643 (2 ⁇ M), a known ligand of PPAR ⁇ , was used as the positive reference compound.
• the cells were washed twice with 1 ml of phosphate buffer (PBS) and removed mechanically from the wells in TEN buffer (Tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane 10 mM pH 8, ethylenedia ine- tetraacetic acid 1 mM pH 8, sodium chloride 0.1 M). After centrifuging for 3 minutes at 1000 rpm, the cells were resuspended in 65 ⁇ l of lysis buffer (Tris-HCl 0.25 M, pH 8) and then lysed thanks to three rapid freeze-thaw cycles. The insoluble cellular materials (debris) were removed by centrifuging at 15,000 rpm for 15 minutes at 4°C, and the supernatant was recovered and used for the CAT and ⁇ -galactosidase activity assays.
• PBS phosphate buffer
• TEN buffer Tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane 10 mM pH 8, ethylenedia ine- tetraacetic acid 1 mM pH 8, sodium
• the cell extracts were stored at -80°C until assayed after previously adding glycerol (final concentration 10% v/v) and ⁇ - mercaptoethanol (final 5 mM) in a final volume of 75 ⁇ l.
• the assay for evaluating CAT activity was done by applying a variant of the method described by Sleigh [Sleigh M.J. Anna! Biochem., 156 (1), 251-6 (1986)]. Briefly, 20 ⁇ l of protein cell extract (preheated to 65°C for 10 minutes to deactivate the internal deacetylating enzymatic activity) were added to a solution containing 10 ⁇ l of n-butyryl-Coenzyme A (3.5 mg/ml), 5 ⁇ l of [ 14 C]- chloramphenicol (0.25 ⁇ Ci) and 65 ⁇ l of distilled H2O. After 2 hours' incubation at 37°C the reaction was blocked with 200 ⁇ l of a solution of xylene/2,6, 10, 14 tetramethyl-pentadecane (1:2 v/v).
• Test for determining ⁇ -galactosidase activity As an internal control for the normalisation of CAT activity in relation to the efficiency of transfection, the ⁇ -galactosidase activity coded for by the corresponding gene in the co-transfected plasmid pCHl 10 was used.
• ⁇ -galactosidase activity was measured according to a variant of the method described by Sambrook [Sambrook et al. in: Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Edited by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989)]. Briefly, 20 ⁇ l of protein extracts were added to 750 ⁇ l of the reaction buffer containing 1 volume of 2 mg/ml ONPG (O-nitrophenyl- ⁇ -D-galactopyranoside) and 3 volumes of "Z buffer” (10 mM potassium chloride, 1 mM magnesium chloride, 50 mM ⁇ -mercaptoethanol in phosphate buffer).
• ONPG O-nitrophenyl- ⁇ -D-galactopyranoside
• the reaction was run at 37°C and interrupted by adding 200 ⁇ L of a sodium carbonate 1 M solution when the appearance of the typical yellow colouring was clearly noticeable.
• the samples were incubated for 10 minutes at room temperature and then analysed under the spectrophotometer measuring the absorbance at the wavelength of 420 nm (A420).
• Table 8 presents the PPAR ⁇ agonist activity of the compounds as in examples 1, 2, 4, 10, 13 and 18 by way of examples.
• Example 28 Transient transfection of eukaryotic cells to evaluate the agonist activity of PPAR ⁇ ligands
• the identification of PPAR ⁇ agonists is done by a specific transactivation assay in eukaryotic cells.
• PPAR ⁇ Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ⁇
• RXR peroxisome proliferator response element
• a transactivation assay specific for PPAR ⁇ thus requires the simultaneous presence of the following in the preselected cell line: a) a sufficient amount of PPAR ⁇ ; b) a sufficient amount of the 9 cis-retinoic acid receptor (RXR); c) a chimeric plasmid containing the reporter gene controlled by a PPRE, located upstream of a viral heterologous promoter.
• the reporter gene is chloramphenicol-acetyl transferase (CAT).
• the preselected cells are transfected with the expression vector pSG5 Stop-mPPARgl which allows the synthesis of the PPARY receptor by the transfected cell.
• a plasmid reporter (pBLCAT2-PPRE) is transfected which contains a peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) isolated by the gene promoter for acyl-CoA oxidase, upstream of the heterologous promoter of viral thymidine kinase (TK) fused with the reporter gene CAT. Since the endogenous cell levels of the RXR receptor are sufficiently high, it is not necessary to transfect an expression vector specific for RXR as well. The expression of the gene coding for CAT is under the control of the TK promoter which does not contain any PPRE.
• PPRE peroxisome proliferator response element
• any increase in CAT levels will be the result of increased gene transcription dependent upon the dimerisation of PPAR ⁇ with RXR and upon the heterodimer bond formed with the peroxisome proliferator response element.
• the cells are also transfected with the plasmid pCHHO which provides the internal control for the efficiency of transfection and the normalisation of the results Experimental procedure
• a cell line of mouse embryonal fibroblasts (NIH-3T3) was used [Hogan J.C. et al., Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 287 (2), 484-92 (2001)].
• the cells were transfected with the reporter plasmid, the expression plasmid coding for the PPAR ⁇ receptor and the control vector pCHHO.
• the cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of the study compounds and CAT activity was evaluated. Untreated cells were used as controls.
• Mouse embryonal fibroblasts (NIH-3T3) were cultured according to the usual cell culture techniques, at 37°C in a 5% v/v carbon dioxide atmosphere using as the growth medium DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium) modified with 3.7 g/1 of sodium bicarbonate, 4 mM L-glutamine, 4.5 g/1 of glucose, 1 mM sodium pyruvate and 10% v/v of calf serum, in the presence of streptomycin 100 ⁇ g/ml and penicillin 100 U/ml final.
• DMEM Dynamic micropentas modified Eagle's medium
• streptomycin 100 ⁇ g/ml
• penicillin 100 U/ml final penicillin 100 U/ml final.
• the cells were co-transfected using the transfection reagent FuGENE6 (Roche), already described in the previous example. Twenty-four hours prior to transfection the cells were plated at a density of 8.0 x 10 4 cells/well in 12-well plates and maintained at 37°C in a 5% v/v CO2 atmosphere. The culture medium, devoid of serum, was replaced 2 hours before transfection, and then the cells were treated with the transfection reagent FuGENE6, as described in the previous example. After 5 hours, the transfection medium was replaced by 1 ml of culture medium complete with serum and antibiotics in the presence or absence of the molecules to be tested at 3 different concentrations (2, 20 and 100 ⁇ M). Rosiglitazone, a known ligand of PPAR ⁇ , was used as the positive reference compound. Preparation of cell protein extracts and assay of CAT activity
• the cell protein extracts were prepared and the CAT activity assay was conducted exactly as described in the previous example.
• ⁇ -galactosidase activity coded for by the corresponding gene in the co-transfected plasmid pCHHO was used.
• ⁇ -galatosidase activity was measured exactly as described in the previous example.
• Table 9 presents the PPARY agonist activity of a number of compounds by way of examples.
• Table 9 Assay of transactivation mediated by PPAR ⁇ in NIH-3T3 cells. The results are expressed as activation of the gene-reporter CAT as a percentage of that measured in the presence of the reference compound (rosiglitazone 2 ⁇ M), conventionally assumed to be 100%.
• the objects of the present invention are pharmaceutical compositions containing as their active ingredient at least one formula (I) compound, either alone or in combination with one or more formula (I) compounds, or, said formula (I) compound or compounds in combination with other active ingredients useful in the treatment of the diseases indicated in the present invention, for example, other products with serum-glucose-lowering and serum-lipid-lowering activity; also in separate dosage forms or in forms suitable for combined therapies.
• the active ingredient according to the present invention will be in a mixture with suitable vehicles and/ or excipients commonly used in pharmacy, such as, for instance, those described in "Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences Handbook", latest edition.
• the compositions according to the present invention will contain a therapeutically effective amount of the active ingredient.
• the doses will be decided by the expert in the sector, e.g. the clinician or primary care physician according to the type of disease to be treated and the patient's condition, or concomitantly with the administration of other active ingredients. By way of an example, dosages ranging from 0.01 to 400 mg/day can be indicated, preferably 0.1 to 200 mg/day.
• Examples of pharmaceutical compositions are those that allow administration orally or parenterally - intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, transdermal.
• compositions for the purpose are tablets, rigid or soft capsules, powders, solutions, suspensions, syrups, and solid forms for extempore liquid preparations.
• Compositions for parenteral administration are, for example, all the forms which are injectable intramuscularly, intravenously, subcutaneously, or in the form of solutions, suspensions or emulsions. Liposomal formulations should also be mentioned.
• Other forms are tablets for the controlled release of the active ingredient, or for oral administration, tablets coated with appropriate layers, microencapsulated powders, complexes with cyclodextrins, and depot forms, for example, subcutaneous ones, such as depot injections or implants.

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