Title:The Structure-property Relationships of GPCR-targeted Drugs
Approved between 2011 and 2021
Volume: 30
Issue: 31
Author(s): Kihang Choi*
Affiliation:
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
Keywords:
Structure-property relationship, GPCR antagonist, GPCR agonist, lead optimization, candidate selection, drug discovery.
Abstract:
Background: G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of
membrane receptors and the most intensively studied drug targets. Given the physiological
importance of signal transduction by GPCRs and the recent progress in the structure
determination of membrane proteins, the development of GPCR antagonists and agonists
is expected to continue to be a major area of medicinal chemistry research.
Methods: The structure-property relationship illustrates how the modification of the
chemical structure influences the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and
other related properties of drug compounds. Understanding the structure-property relationships
of clinically approved GPCR-targeted drugs and their analogues could provide
useful information on the lead-to-candidate optimization strategies.
Results: Among more than 50 GPCR antagonists and agonists approved in the last decade,
the structure-property relationships of 17 drugs are compiled from medicinal chemistry
literature, in which detailed pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties are disclosed
not only for the final drug candidate but also for key analogues generated during
the lead optimization campaign.
Conclusion: The structure-property relationships hereby summarized demonstrate how
in vitro and in vivo properties of the membrane protein-targeted ligands could be effectively
optimized, in many cases, without requiring a significant change in the molecular
size. This information is expected to provide valuable insights to expedite new GPCR-targeted
drug development.