Patent · US Expired

FXR modulators

US6777446B2 · kind B2 · utility

37Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 2001
Grant dateAug 17, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 31, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC07C2601/14
  • WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods that are useful in modulating the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). As FXR is involved in negatively controlling the expression level of cholesterol 7&agr;-hydroxylase (cyp7a), the rate-limiting enzyme involved in the oxidative metabolism of cholesterol into bile acids, the compounds described herein find utility in treating diseases associated with abnormally high or low cholesterol levels. In certain aspects, the FXR modulators (e.g., antagonists) described herein block the negative feed-back downregulation of cyp7a expression produced by certain cholic acids, the endogenous ligands for FXR. Moreover, as FXR forms heterodimers with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) in some cell types, modulation of the level of FXR activity in cells has a wide range of effects on a variety of biological processes which are mediated by RXR or other RXR-interacting proteins such as PPAR&ggr; and PPAR&agr;. Thus, compounds described herein are useful in treating other biological activities such as obesity, diabetes, lipid associated disorders, cancer, inflammatory disorders, disorders involving a disrupted or dysfunctional epide…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.