Discovery of 2-(Anilino)pyrimidine-4-carboxamides as Highly Potent, Selective, and Orally Active Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) Inhibitors

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine kinase that serves as an important regulator of a broad range of cellular functions. It has been linked to Alzheimer's disease as well as various other diseases, including mood disorders, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. There is considerable evidence indicating that GSK-3β in the central nervous system plays a role in the production of abnormal, hyperphosphorylated, microtubule-associated tau protein found in neurofibrillary tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease. A series of analogues containing a pyrimidine-based hinge-binding heterocycle was synthesized and evaluated, leading to the identification of highly potent GSK-3 inhibitors with excellent kinase selectivity. Further evaluation of 34 and 40 in vivo demonstrated that these compounds are orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant GSK-3 inhibitors that lowered levels of phosphorylated tau in a triple-transgenic mouse Alzheimer's disease model.