Optimization of Eliglustat-Based Glucosylceramide Synthase Inhibitors as Substrate Reduction Therapy for Gaucher Disease Type 3

There remain no approved therapies for rare but devastating neuronopathic glyocosphingolipid storage diseases, such as Sandhoff, Tay-Sachs, and Gaucher disease type 3. We previously reported initial optimization of the scaffold of eliglustat, an approved therapy for the peripheral symptoms of Gaucher disease type 1, to afford 2, which effected modest reductions in brain glucosylceramide (GlcCer) in normal mice at 60 mg/kg. The relatively poor pharmacokinetic properties and high Pgp-mediated efflux of 2 prompted further optimization of the scaffold. With a general objective of reducing topological polar surface area, and guided by multiple metabolite identification studies, we were successful at identifying 17 (CCG-222628), which achieves remarkably greater brain exposure in mice than 2. After demonstrating an over 60-fold improvement in potency over 2 at reducing brain GlcCer in normal mice, we compared 17 with Sanofi clinical candidate venglustat (Genz-682452) in the CBE mouse model of Gaucher disease type 3. At doses of 10 mg/kg, 17 and venglustat effected comparable reductions in both brain GlcCer and glucosylsphingosine. Importantly, 17 achieved these equivalent pharmacodynamic effects at significantly lower brain exposure than venglustat.

Gaucher disease; Glucosylceramide synthase; blood−brain barrier; eliglustat tartrate.