Discovery and Preclinical Characterization of 6-Chloro-5-[4-(1-hydroxycyclobutyl)phenyl]-1H-indole-3-carboxylic Acid (PF-06409577), a Direct Activator of Adenosine Monophosphate-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK), for the Potential Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy.
Cameron, K.O., Kung, D.W., Kalgutkar, A.S., Kurumbail, R.G., Miller, R., Salatto, C.T., Ward, J., Withka, J.M., Bhattacharya, S.K., Boehm, M., Borzilleri, K.A., Brown, J.A., Calabrese, M., Caspers, N.L., Cokorinos, E., Conn, E.L., Dowling, M.S., Edmonds, D.J., Eng, H., Fernando, D.P., Frisbie, R., Hepworth, D., Landro, J., Mao, Y., Rajamohan, F., Reyes, A.R., Rose, C.R., Ryder, T., Shavnya, A., Smith, A.C., Tu, M., Wolford, A.C., Xiao, J.(2016) J Med Chem 59: 8068-8081
- PubMed: 27490827 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00866
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
5KQ5 - PubMed Abstract: 
Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a protein kinase involved in maintaining energy homeostasis within cells. On the basis of human genetic association data, AMPK activators were pursued for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Identification of an indazole amide high throughput screening (HTS) hit followed by truncation to its minimal pharmacophore provided an indazole acid lead compound. Optimization of the core and aryl appendage improved oral absorption and culminated in the identification of indole acid, PF-06409577 (7). Compound 7 was advanced to first-in-human trials for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Endocrine Diseases Medicinal Chemistry, ‡Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Endocrine Diseases Research Unit, and §Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Worldwide Research & Development , 610 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.