Impact of passive permeability and gut efflux transport on the oral bioavailability of novel series of piperidine-based renin inhibitors in rodents

An oral bioavailability issue encountered during the course of lead optimization in the renin program is described herein. The low Fpo of pyridone analogs was shown to be caused by a combination of poor passive permeability and gut efflux transport. Substitution of pyridone ring for a more lipophilic moiety (log D >1.7) had minimal effect on rMdr1a transport but led to increased passive permeability (Papp >10 × 10−6 cm/s), which contributed to overwhelm gut transporters and increase rat Fpo. Log D and in vitro passive permeability determination were found to be key in guiding SAR and improve oral exposure of renin inhibitors.