Discovery of atrop fixed alkoxy-aminobenzhydrol derivatives: Novel, highly potent and orally efficacious squalene synthase inhibitors

We have recently reported the discovery of the new benzhydrol template, which has a highly potent inhibitory activity for squalene synthase, as typified by compound 1 (SSI IC50 = 0.85 nM). However, it was composed of a pair of easy rotatable atropisomers. In the effort to fix the isomerization, a highly potent alkoxy-aminobenzhydrol scaffold was developed. Some of these acquired compounds demonstrating strong cholesterol synthesis inhibitory activities in a rat hepatic cell. Moreover, two of the series compounds exhibited specific plasma lipid-lowering effects in in vivo animal models.