Potent, Orally Bioavailable Delta Opioid Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Pain: Discovery of<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-Diethyl-4-(5-hydroxyspiro[chromene-2,4′-piperidine]-4-yl)benzamide (ADL5859)

Abstract

Selective delta opioid receptor agonists are promising potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of various types of pain conditions. A spirocyclic derivative was identified as a promising hit through screening. Subsequent lead optimization identified compound 20 (ADL5859) as a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable delta agonist. Compound 20 was selected as a clinical candidate for the treatment of pain.