The discovery of small molecule carbamates as potent dual α4β1/α4β7 integrin antagonists

The α4β1 and α4β7 integrins are implicated in several inflammatory disease states. Systematic SAR studies of an α4β1-specific arylsulfonyl-Pro-Tyr lead led to the identification of a new α4β7 binding site, best captured by O-carbamates of Tyr for this structural class. Several compounds showed a 200- to 400-fold improvement in α4β7 binding affinity while maintaining subnanomolar α4β1 activity, for example 2l, VCAM-Ig α4β1 IC50=0.13 nM, VCAM-Ig α4β7 IC50=1.92 nM.