Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of new monoamine reuptake inhibitors with potential therapeutic utility in depression and pain

Two new series of monoamine triple reuptake inhibitors (TRIs) have been discovered through scaffold homologation of our recently reported series of 3,3-disubstituted pyrrolidine TRIs. The regioisomeric 2- and 3-ketopyrrolidines demonstrated high levels of potency against all three monoamine transporters as well as good human in vitro stability, low drug–drug interaction potential and a decreased propensity for hERG channel binding. Representative compounds from these series displayed good in vivo pharmacokinetics and high monoamine receptor occupancies which are indicators of good brain penetration.

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