Discovery of a Novel Thienopyrimidine Compound as a Urate Transporter 1 and Glucose Transporter 9 Dual Inhibitor with Improved Efficacy and Favorable Druggability

J Med Chem. 2024 Mar 28;67(6):5032-5052. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00136. Epub 2024 Mar 14.

Abstract

Gout and hyperuricemia are metabolic diseases characterized with high serum uric acid (SUA) levels that significantly impact human health. Lesinurad, a uricosuric agent, is limited to concurrent use with xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOIs) in clinical practice due to its restricted efficacy and potential nephrotoxicity. Herein, extensive structural modifications of lesinurad were conducted through scaffold hopping and substituent modification strategies, affording 54 novel derivatives containing pyrimidine-fused cyclic structures. Notably, the thienopyrimidine compound 29 demonstrated a remarkable 2-fold increase in SUA-lowering in vivo activity compared to lesinurad, while exhibiting potent inhibitory activity against the urate transporter 1 (URAT1, IC50 = 2.01 μM) and glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9, IC50 = 18.21 μM). Furthermore, it possessed a lower effective dosage of 0.5 mg/kg, favorable safety profile without any apparent acute toxicity at doses of 1000 mg/kg, and improved pharmacokinetic properties. Overall, we have discovered an efficacious URAT1/GLUT9 dual inhibitor for inhibiting urate reabsorption with favorable pharmacokinetic profiles.

MeSH terms

  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative
  • Gout* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Hyperuricemia* / drug therapy
  • Organic Anion Transporters*
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use
  • Pyrimidines / toxicity
  • Thioglycolates*
  • Triazoles*
  • Uric Acid / therapeutic use
  • Uricosuric Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • lesinurad
  • urate transporter
  • Uric Acid
  • thienopyrimidine
  • Organic Anion Transporters
  • Uricosuric Agents
  • Pyrimidines
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins
  • Thioglycolates
  • Triazoles