Discovery of TD-0212, an Orally Active Dual Pharmacology AT₁ Antagonist and Neprilysin Inhibitor (ARNI)

Abstract

Dual inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and neprilysin (NEP) by drugs such as omapatrilat produces superior antihypertensive efficacy relative to ACE inhibitors but is associated with a higher risk of life-threatening angioedema due to bradykinin elevations. We hypothesized that dual AT₁ (angiotensin II type 1 receptor) blockade and NEP inhibition with a single molecule would produce similar antihypertensive efficacy to omapatrilat without the risk of angioedema since ACE (the rate limiting enzyme in bradykinin metabolism) would remain uninhibited. Merging the structures of losartan (an AT₁ antagonist) and thiorphan (a NEP inhibitor) led to the discovery of a novel series of orally active, dual AT₁ antagonist/NEP inhibitors (ARNIs) exemplified by compound <b>35</b> (TD-0212). In models of renin-dependent and -independent hypertension, <b>35</b> produced blood pressure reductions similar to omapatrilat and combinations of AT₁ receptor antagonists and NEP inhibitors. Upper airway angioedema risk was assessed in a rat tracheal plasma extravasation (TPE) model. Unlike omapatrilat, <b>35</b> did not increase TPE at antihypertensive doses. Compound <b>35</b> therefore provides the enhanced activity of dual AT₁/NEP inhibition with a potentially lower risk of angioedema relative to dual ACE/NEP inhibition.