Discovery of Nelutroctiv (CK-136), a Selective Cardiac Troponin Activator for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases Associated with Reduced Cardiac Contractility

Cardiac Myosin activation has been shown to be a viable approach for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Here, we report the discovery of nelutroctiv (CK-136), a selective cardiac troponin activator intended for patients with cardiovascular conditions where cardiac contractility is reduced. Discovery of nelutroctiv began with a high-throughput screen that identified compound 1R, a muscle selective cardiac sarcomere activator devoid of phosphodiesterase-3 activity. Optimization of druglike properties for 1R led to the replacement of the sulfonamide and aniline substituents which resulted in improved pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles and a reduced potential for human drug-drug interactions. In vivo echocardiography assessment of the optimized leads showed concentration dependent increases in fractional shortening and an improved pharmacodynamic window compared to Myosin activator CK-138. Overall, nelutroctiv was found to possess the desired selectivity, a favorable pharmacodynamic window relative to Myosin activators, and a preclinical PK profile to support clinical development.