Discovery of Tropifexor (LJN452), a Highly Potent Non-bile Acid FXR Agonist for the Treatment of Cholestatic Liver Diseases and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).

Article Details

Citation

Tully DC, Rucker PV, Chianelli D, Williams J, Vidal A, Alper PB, Mutnick D, Bursulaya B, Schmeits J, Wu X, Bao D, Zoll J, Kim Y, Groessl T, McNamara P, Seidel HM, Molteni V, Liu B, Phimister A, Joseph SB, Laffitte B

Discovery of Tropifexor (LJN452), a Highly Potent Non-bile Acid FXR Agonist for the Treatment of Cholestatic Liver Diseases and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).

J Med Chem. 2017 Dec 28;60(24):9960-9973. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00907. Epub 2017 Dec 8.

PubMed ID
29148806 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor that acts as a master regulator of bile acid metabolism and signaling. Activation of FXR inhibits bile acid synthesis and increases bile acid conjugation, transport, and excretion, thereby protecting the liver from the harmful effects of bile accumulation, leading to considerable interest in FXR as a therapeutic target for the treatment of cholestasis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We identified a novel series of highly potent non-bile acid FXR agonists that introduce a bicyclic nortropine-substituted benzothiazole carboxylic acid moiety onto a trisubstituted isoxazole scaffold. Herein, we report the discovery of 1 (tropifexor, LJN452), a novel and highly potent agonist of FXR. Potent in vivo activity was demonstrated in rodent PD models by measuring the induction of FXR target genes in various tissues. Tropifexor has advanced into phase 2 human clinical trials in patients with NASH and PBC.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
TropifexorBile acid receptorProteinHumans
Unknown
Agonist
Binder
Details