In Search of Selectivity in Inhibition of ADAM10

The metalloproteinase ADAM10 has been reported as an important target for drug discovery in several human diseases. In this vein, (6S,7S)-N-hydroxy-5-methyl-6-(4-(5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl)piperazine-1-carbonyl)-5-azaspiro[2.5]octane-7-carboxamide (compound 1) has been reported as a selective ADAM10 inhibitor. We synthesized this compound and document that it lacks both potency and selectivity in inhibition of ADAM10. This finding necessitated a structure-based computational analysis to investigate potency and selectivity of ADAM10 inhibition. The model that emerged indeed excluded compound 1 as an inhibitor for ADAM10, while suggesting another reported compound, (1R,3S,4S)-3-(hydroxycarbamoyl)-4-(4-phenylpiperidine-1-carbonyl)cyclohexyl pyrrolidine-1-carboxylate (compound 2), as an ADAM10 selective inhibitor. Compound 2 was synthesized and its potency, and selectivity in inhibition of ADAM10 were documented with a panel of several related enzymes. Pharmacokinetic studies of compound 2 in mice documented that the compound crosses the blood-brain barrier and may be useful as a pharmacological agent or mechanistic tool to delineate the role of ADAM10 in neurological diseases.