Title of Invention

A COMPOSITION COMPRISING SELECTIVE SEROTOTONIN 2A/2C RECEPTOR INVERSE AGNOIST

Abstract A composition comprising a compound of Formula (I): and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Full Text The present invention relates to the therapeutic use of N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-
yl)-N 4-flourophenylmethyl)-N'-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)cabamide and related
serotonin 2A/2C receptor inverse agonists to treat a variety of human neurodegenerative diseases
including Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Alzheimer's
Disease. Specifically, these agents improve motor function in Parkinson's Disease, and
Huntington's Disease. Specifically, N-{l-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-(4-f]ourophenylmethyl)-N'-(4-
(2-methylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)carbamide and related compounds can be used to control the
behavioral and neuropsychiatric manifestations present in all of these disease states.
Pharmaceutical compositions comprised of a combination of N-(l-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-(4-
flourophenylmethyl)-N'-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)phenylmetliyl)carbainide and existing therapeutic
agents are also disclosed.
Background of the Invention
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are a group of related human maladies that
share a common pathophysiological feature, the progressive degeneration of selective neuronal
populations over the course of time. These neurodegenerative diseases include but are not limited
to Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Lewy
Body Disease and related movement disorders, and Friedrich's Ataxia and related Spinocerebellar
Ataxia's. Each of these disorders has unique clinical aspects including age of onset, time course of
progression, neurological signs and symptoms, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and sensitivity to
known therapeutic agents. In addition, the pathophysiological basis of each of these disorders is
caused by genetic mechanisms unique to each disease.
Despite significant progress in elucidating the genetic causes underlying these
disparate disorders, relatively little is known about the biochemical mechanisms that cause the
selective neuronal degeneration common to all of them. In addition, for the most common of these
disorders, including Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease, the genetic factors that cause
the rare familial forms of these diseases have been discovered, but the pathophysiological basis of
the vast majority of sporadic cases is still unknown. Because of this, no specific therapeutic agents
currently exist that can directly modify disease progression. Instead, clinicians utilize a variety of
existing agents to provide symptomatic relief of the motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric
manifestations that characterize these disorders. None of these existing agents were designed and
developed to specifically treat patients with NDs.
Of the various neurological symptoms that characterize the NDs, abnormalities
of motor function, including bradykinesias, dyskinesias and chorea, and the emergence of

neuropsychiatric symptoms, including psychosis, and affective symptoms such as anxiety and
depression, are common and severely impact upon the patient's functional status and quality of life.
Unfortunately, most existing therapeutic agents, including antipsychotics and antidepressants, often
demonstrate efficacy, yet are very poorly tolerated in these patients. In addition, the available
therapeutic agents for Parkinson's Disease, including L-dopa and dopamine agonists, while
generally effective, cause the emergence of severe treatment-limiting side effects that are currently
intractable to pharmacotherapy.
Multiple factors, both disease and drug related, are primarily responsible for
the limited tolerability of these agents. First, patients with neurodegenerative disease are
particularly sensitive to most therapeutic agents that are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier
and interact with neuronal targets that confer efficacy against adverse motoric or neuropsychiatric
symptoms. For instance, atypical antipsychotics are generally well tolerated by healthy volunteers,
or in patients with primary psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia; brain states that are not
characterized by neuronal degeneration. In contrast, when these agents are administered to patients
with Parkinson's or Huntington's Disease, they display severe, treatment-limiting adverse effects
on motor function, cause severe sedation, and can worsen cognitive functioning. The direct effects
of the neuronal loss characteristic of NDs, and the adaptive changes that occur secondarily to this
are both posited to create a neurochemical and/or neurophysiological state in ND patients that
confer this extra sensitivity.
Second, the known mechanisms of action of these drugs, including antagonism
of dopamine receptors, is not tolerated in some patient populations secondary to specific alterations
in distinct neuronal systems. For instance, Parkinson's patients have a relatively selective
degeneration of the ascending dopaminergic neuronal systems, and as a consequence of this they
are deficient in central dopamine neurotransmission. It is therefore not surprising that drugs that
further attenuate dopaminergic neurotransmission, by blocking dopamine receptors, are not well
tolerated.
Lastly, nearly all presently known therapeutic agents lack specificity in their
mechanisms of action. Antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs possess a multitude of
pharmacologically relevant interactions with critical neuronal proteins including a host of cell
surface receptors, ion channels, and re-uptake transporters. This lack of drug target specificity is
known to confer a variety of adverse effects in non-ND patient populations, which are qualitatively
and quantitatively worse in ND patients.
These observations highlight the need to develop novel therapeutic agents that
are specifically designed to not only demonstrate efficacy against these particular disabling
symptoms but to also possess tolerability in these specific patient populations. This can be
achieved by improving the selectivity of the drug target interactions of new therapeutic agents.

Specifically, the development of agents with novel mechanisms of action that avoid the known
pitfalls associated with existing agents is desired. In addition, improved selectivity can avoid the
known adverse effects associated with interactions with non-efficacy conferring drug targets.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 shows plots of D2 and 5-HT2A receptor agonist activity of
Parkinson's Disease therapeutics as determined by the physiologicaly predictive, cell-based, in vivo
R-SAT assay. Figure 1A plots drug activity at human D2 receptors. Figure 1B plots drug activity
at human Serotonin 2A receptors.
Figure 2A is a plot of the efficacy of the compound of formula (I) in reducing
MK-801 induced locomotor behaviors in rats against a control after s.c. administration over a ten
(10) minute time period. Figure 2B is a plot of the efficacy of the compound of formula (I) in
reducing MK-801 induced locomotor behaviors in rats against a control after oral administration
over a thirty (30) minute time period.
Figure 3 shows a bar graph that indicates three dosage levels of the compound
of formula (I) and the effect of each dosage on reducing dyskinesia in a primate model.
Figure 4 shows the affect of the compound of formula (I) on amphetamine
induced hyperactivity in mice when used in combination with varying doses of Haloperidol.
Summary of the Invention
Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a compound of Formula (I):

and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In some embodiments, the composition further
comprises an additional therapeutic agent, hi some embodiments the additional therapeutic agent
is selected from levodopa (SINEMET™, SENEMET-CR™, bromocriptine (FARLODEL™),
pergolide (PERMAX™), ephenedrine sulfate (EPHEDRINE™), pemoline CYLERT™), mazindol
(SANOREX™), d,l-a-rnelhylphenethylamine (ADDERALL™), methylphenydate (RITALIN™),
pramipexole (MTRAPEX™), modafinil (PROVIGDL™), and ropinirole (REQULP™). In other
embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an anti-dyskensia agent selected from baclofen
(Lioresal™), botulinum toxin (Botox™), clonazepam (Klonopin™), and diazepam (Valium™). In
other embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an anti-dystonia, anti-myoclonus, or anti-

tremor agent selected from baclofen (LIORESAL™), botulinum toxin (BOTOX™), clonazepam
(KLONOPIN™), and diazepam (VALIUM1*1). In other embodiments, the additional therapeutic
agent is an anti-psychotic agent with dopaminergic receptor antagonism. In other embodiments,
the additional therapeutic agent is an anti-psychotic agent selected from chlorpromazine
(THORAZINE™), haloperodol (HALDOL™), molindone (MOBAN™), thioridazine
(MELLARIL™), a phenothiazine, a butyrophenome, diphenulbutylpiperinde (pimozide),
thioxanthines (fluphenthixol), substituted benzamides (sulpiride), sertindole, amisulpride,
risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, and their active metabolites (N-
desmethylclozapine, N-desmethylolanzapine, 9-OH-risperdone)).
[0014] Also disclosed herein is a method for treating a neurodegemative disease
comprising: identifying a patient suffering from a neurodegenerative disease and administering to
the patient an effective amount of an inverse agonist selective for a serotonin receptor; whereby the
dopaminergic therapy associated dyskinesia is reduced. In some embodiments, the
neurodegenerative disease is Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease,
Spinocerebellar Atrophy, Tourette's Syndrome, Friedrich's Ataxia, Machado- Joseph's disease,
Lewy Body Dementia, Dystonia, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, or Frontotemporal Dementia. In
one embodiment, the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2A receptor. In another embodiment, the
serotonin receptor is a 5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments, the inverse agonist binds to a
5HT2A receptor or a 5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments, the inverse agonist is the compound
of formula (I). One embodiment further comprises administering a dopaminergic agent in
combination with the compound of formula (I). In some embodiments, the reagent increases
dopaminergic activity and is selected from the group consisting of levodopa, SINAMET™,
SINAMETCR™, bromocriptine (PARLODEL™), pergolide (PERMAX™), ephenedrine sulfate
(EPHEDRINE™), pemoline CYLERT™), mazindol (SANOREX™), d,l-a-methylphenethylamine
(ADDERALL™), methylphenydate (RITALIN™), pramipexole (MIRAPEX™), modafmil
(PROVIGIL™), and ropinirole (REQUIP™).
[0015] Also disclosed herein is, a method for treating dyskinesia associated with
dopaminergic therapy comprising: identifying a patient suffering from dopaminergic therapy
associated dyskinesia and administering to the patient an effective amount of an inverse agonist
selective for a serotonin receptor; whereby the dopaminergic therapy associated dyskinesia is
reduced. In one embodiment the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2A receptor. In another embodiment
the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments, the inverse agonist binds to a
5HT2A receptor and a 5HT2C receptor. In one embodiment, the inverse agonist is the compound
of formula (I). Some embodiments further comprise administering an anti-dyskensia agent in
combination with the compound of formula (I). In some embodiments, the anti-dyskinesia agent is
selected from the group consisting of baclofen (Lioresal™), botulinum toxin (Botox™),

clonazepam (Klonopin™), and diazepam (Valium™). In some embodiments, the patient suffers
from a neurodegenerative disease selected from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease,
Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Spinocerebellar Atrophy, Tourette's Syndrome,
Friedrich's Ataxia, Machado-Joseph's disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Dystonia , Progressive
Supranuclear Palsy, and Frontotemporal Dementia.
[0016] Further disclosed herein is a method for treating dystonia, myoclonus, or
tremor associated with dopaminergic therapy comprising: identifying a patient suffering from
dopaminergic therapy associated dystonia, myoclonus, or tremor; and administering to the patient
an effective amount of an inverse agonist selective for a serotonin receptor; whereby the
dopaminergic therapy associated dystonia, myoclonus, or tremor is reduced. In one embodiment
the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2A receptor. In another embodiment, the serotonin receptor is a
5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments, the inverse agonist binds to a 5HT2A receptor and a
5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments, the inverse agonist is the compound of formula (I). Some
embodiments further comprise an anti-dystonia, anti-myoclonus, or anti-tremor agent in
combination with the compound of formula (I). In some embodiments, the anti-dystonia, anti-
myoclonus, or anti-tremor agent is selected from the group consisting of baclofen (LIORESAL™),
botulinum toxin (BOTOX™), clonazepam (KLONOPIN™), and diazepam (VALIUM™).
{0017] Also disclosed herein is a method for treating psychosis associated with
dopaminergic therapy comprising: identifying a patient suffering from dopaminergic therapy
associated psychosis; and administering to the patient an effective amount of an inverse agonist
selective for a serotonin receptor; whereby symptoms of dopaminergic therapy associated
psychosis is reduced. In one embodiment the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2A receptor. In another
embodiment the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments the inverse agonist
binds to a 5HT2A receptor and a 5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments the inverse agonist is the
compound of formula (I). Some embodiments further comprise an anti-psychotic agent in
combination with the compound of formula (T). In some embodiments, the anti-psychotic agent is
selected from the group consisting of chlorpromazine (THORAZINE"14), haloperodol
(HALDOL™), molindone (MOBAN™), thioridazine (MELLARIL™), a phenothiazine, a
butyrophenome, diphenulbutylpiperinde (pimozide), thioxanthines (fluphenthixol), substituted
benzamides (sulpiride), sertindole, amisulpride, risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone,
aripiprazole, and their active metabolites (N-desmetiiylclozapine, N-desmethylolanzapine, 9-OH-
risperdone)). hi some embodiments, the patient suffers from a neurodegenerative disease selected
from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease,
Spinocerebellar Atrophy, Tourette's Syndrome, Friedrich's Ataxia, Machado-Joseph's disease,
Lewy Body Dementia, Dystonia , Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and Frontotemporal Dementia.

[0018] Also disclosed herein is a method for treating a neuropsyhiatric disease
comprising: identifying a patient suffering from a neuropsyhiatric disease; and administering to the
patient an effective amount of an inverse agonist selective for a serotonin receptor. In some
embodiments, the neuropsycniatric disease is selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia,
schizoaffective disorders, mania, behavioral disturbances associated with dementia and psychotic
depression, in some embodiments the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2A receptor. In some
embodiments the serotonin receptor is a 5HT2C receptor. In some embodiments the inverse
agonist binds to a 5HT2A receptor or a 5HT2C receptor. In one embodiment, the inverse agonist is
the compound of formula (I). Some embodiments further comprise administering an antipsychotic
agent in combination with the inverse agonist, the anti-psychotic agent selected from the group
consisting of chlorpromazine (THORAZINE™), haloperodol (HALDOL™), molindone
(MOBAN™), thioridazine (MELLARIL™), a phenothiazine, a butyrophenome,
diphenulbutylpiperinde (pimozide), thioxanthines (fluphentbixol), substituted benzamides
(sulpiride), sertindole, amisulpride, risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole,
and their active metabolites (N-desmethylclozapine, N-desmethylolanzapine, 9-OH-risperdone)).
[0019] Also disclosed herein is a compound having the structure of Formula (I):

(I)
[0020] Additionally disclosed herein is a method of inhibiting an activity of a
monoamine receptor comprising contacting the monoamine receptor or a system containing the
monoamine receptor with an amount of the compound of formula (I) that is effective in inhibiting
the activity of the monoamine receptor. In some embodiments, the monoamine receptor is a
serotonin receptor. In one embodiment the serotonin receptor is the 5-HT2A subclass. In some
embodiments the serotonin receptor is in the central nervous system. In some embodiments the
serotonin receptor is in the peripheral nervous system. In some embodiments the serotonin
receptor is in blood cells or platelets. In some embodiments the serotonin receptor is mutated or
modified. In some embodiments the activity is signaling activity. In some embodiments the
activity is constitutive. In some embodiments the activity is associated with serotonin receptor
activation.

[0021] Also disclosed herein is a method of inhibiting an activation of a monoamine
receptor comprising contacting the monoamine receptor or a system containing the monoamine
receptor with an amount of the compound of formula (I) that is effective in inhibiting the activation
of the monoamine receptor. In some embodiments, the activation is by an agonistic agent. In some
embodiments the agonistic agent is exogenous. In some embodiments the agonistic agent is
endogenous. In some embodiments the activation is constitutive. In some embodiments the
monoamine receptor is a serotonin receptor. In some embodiments the serotonin receptor is the 5-
HT2A subclass. In some embodiments the serotonin receptor is in the central nervous system. In
some embodiments the serotonin receptor is in the peripheral nervous system. In some
embodiments the serotonin receptor is in blood cells or platelets. In some embodiments the
serotonin receptor is mutated or modified.
[0022] Also disclosed herein is a method of treating a disease condition associated
with a monoamine receptor comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment a
therapeutically effective amount of the compound of formula (I). In some embodiments the disease
condition is selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, psychosis, migraine,
hypertension, thrombosis, vasospasm, ischemia, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and appetite
disorders. In some embodiments the disease condition is associated with dysfunction of a
monoamine receptor. In some embodiments, the disease condition is associated with activation of
a monoamine receptor. In some embodiments, the disease condition is associated with increased
activity of monoamine receptor. In some embodiments, the monoamine receptor is a serotonin
receptor. In some embodiments the serotonin receptor is the 5-HT2A subclass. In some
embodiments the serotonin receptor is in the central nervous system. In some embodiments the
serotonin receptor is in the peripheral nervous system. In some embodiments the serotonin
receptor is in blood cells or platelets. In some embodiments, the serotonin receptor is mutated or
modified.
[0023] Also disclosed herein is a method of treating schizophrenia comprising
administering to a subject in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount the
compound of formula (I).
[0024] Also disclosed herein is a method of treating migraine comprising
administering to a subject in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of the
compound of formula (I).
[0025] Also disclosed herein is a method of treating psychosis comprising
admiiustering to a subject in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of the
compound of formula (I).
[0026] Also disclosed herein is a method for identifying a genetic polymorphism
predisposing a subject to being responsive the compound of formula (I), comprising: administering

to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of said compound; measuring the response of said
subject to said compound, thereby identifying a responsive subject having an ameliorated disease
condition associated with a monoamine receptor; and identifying a genetic polymorphism in the
responsive subject, wherein the genetic polymorphism predisposes a subject to being responsive to
said compound. In some embodiments the ameliorated disease condition is associated with the 5-
HT class or 5-HT2A subclass of monoaminergic receptors.
[0027] Additionally disclosed herein is a method for identifying a subject suitable for
treatment with the compound of claim 48, comprising detecting the presence of a polymorphism in
a subject wherein the polymorphism predisposes the subject to being responsive to the compound,
and wherein the presence of the polymorphism indicates that the subject is suitable for treatment
with the compound of formula (I).
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Definitions
(0028] For the purpose of the current disclosure, the following definitions shall in
their entireties be used to define technical terms, and shall also, in their entireties, be used to define
the scope of the composition of matter for which protection is sought in the claims.
[0029] "Constitutive activity" is defined as the elevated basal activity of a receptor
that is independent of the presence of an agonist. Constitutive activity of a receptor may be
measured using a number of different methods, including cellular (e.g., membrane) preparations
(see, e.g., Barr &. Manning, J. Biol. Chem. 272:32979-87 (1997)), purified reconstituted receptors
with, or without the associated G-protein in phospholipid vesicles (Cerione et al., Biochemistry
23:4519-25 (1984)), and functional cellular assays (U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/103,317)
or any other method known in the art.
[0030] "Agonist" is defined as a compound that increases the basal activity of a
receptor when it contacts the receptor.
[0031] An "antagonist" is defined as a compound that competes with an agonist or
inverse agonist for binding to a receptor, thereby blocking the action of an agonist or inverse
agonist on the receptor. However, an antagonist (also known as a "neutral" antagonist) has no
effect on constitutive receptor activity.
[0032] An "inverse agonist" is defined as a compound that decreases the basal activity
of a receptor (i.e., signaling mediated by the receptor). Such compounds are also known as negative
antagonists. An inverse agonist is a ligand for a receptor that causes the receptor to adopt an
inactive state relative to a basal state occurring in the absence of any ligand. Thus, while an
antagonist can inhibit the activity of an agonist, an inverse agonist is a ligand that can alter the
conformation of the receptor in the absence of an agonist. The concept of an inverse agonist has
been explored by Bond et al. in Nature 374:272 (1995). More specifically, Bond et al. have

proposed that unliganded 2-adrenoceptor exists in an equilibrium between an inactive
conformation and a spontaneously active conformation. Agonists are proposed to stabilize the
receptor in an active conformation. Conversely, inverse agonists are believed to stabilize an
inactive receptor conformation. Thus, while an antagonist manifests its activity by virtue of
inhibiting an agonist, an inverse agonist can additionally manifest its activity in the absence of an
agonist by inhibiting the spontaneous conversion of an unliganded receptor to an active
conformation.
[0033] The "5-HT2A receptor" is defined as a receptor, having an activity
corresponding to the activity of the human serotonin receptor subtype, winch was characterized
through molecular cloning and pharmacology as detailed in Saltzman et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res.
Comm. 181:1469-78; and Julius et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:928-932.
[0034] The term "subject" refers to an animal, preferably a mammal, most preferably
a human, who is the object of treatment, observation or experiment.
[003S] "Selective" is defined as a property of a compound whereby an amount of the
compound sufficient to effect a desired response from a particular receptor type, subtype, class or
subclass with significantly less or substantially little or no effect upon the activity other receptor
types. For example, a selective compound may have at least a 10-fold greater effect on activity of
the desired receptor than on other receptor types. In some cases, a selective compound may have at
least a 20-fold greater effect on activity of the desired receptor than on other receptor types, or at
least a 50-fold greater effect, or at least a 100-fold greater effect, or at least a 1000-fold greater
effect, or at least a 10,000-fold greater effect, or at least a 100,000-fold greater effect, or more than
a 100,000-fold greater effect. "Selectivity" or "selective," as an inverse agonist is understood as a
property of the compound of the invention whereby an amount of compound -that effectively
inversely agonizes the 5-HT2A receptor, and thereby decreases its activity, causes little or no
inverse agonistic or antagonistic activity at other, related or unrelated, receptors. In particular, in
one embodiment, a compound has surprisingly been found not to interact strongly with other
serotonin receptors (5-HT 1A, 1B, 1D, 1E, 1F, 2B, 2C, 4A, 6, and 7) at concentrations where the
signaling of the 5-HT2A receptor is strongly or completely inhibited. In one embodiment, the
compound is also selective with respect to other monoarnine-binding receptors, such as the
dopaminergic, histaminergic, adrenergic and muscarinic receptors. Compounds that are highly
selective for 5-HT2A receptors may have a beneficial effect in the treatment of psychosis,
schizophrenia or similar neuropsychiatric disorders, while avoiding adverse effects associated with
drugs hitherto suggested for this purpose.
[0036] Some embodiments described herein relate to serotonin 2A or 2C receptor inverse
agonists, including compositions and methods for treating certain side-effects caused or
exacerbated by dopaminergenic agent-associated therapies commonly used in treating

neurodegenerative diseases. For example, the compounds disclosed herein have utility in reducing
dyskinesia and psychosis associated with dopaminergenic therapies used in treating Parkinson's
disease, a neurodegenerative disease. According to one embodiment, the compound N-(l-
metliylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-(4-flourophenylmethyl)-N'-(4-(2-
methylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)carbamide having the structure of formula (I) is provided:

[0037] One embodiment relates to a composition comprising the compound of
formula (I) and a phannaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition may also contain other
compounds such as compounds for treating dyskensia, dystonia, or psychosis.
[0038] According to one embodiment, the tartrate salt of the compound, N-(1-
methylpiperidm-4-yl)-N-(4-flourophenylmethyl)-N'-(4-(2-
methylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)carbamide is a potent, selective, orally bioavailable 5-HT2A
receptor inverse agonist. The compound of formula (I) also possesses lesser potency as a 5-HT2C
receptor inverse agonist and lacks intrinsic activity at the remaining monoaminergic receptor
subtypes. Perhaps most notably, the compound of formula (1) lacks activity at dopamine receptor
subtypes. (See US Patent Application No. 09/800,096). Extensive behavioral pharmacological
profiling of the compound of formula (I), including pre-clinical models of antipsychotic and anti-
dyskinetic drug actions, support the therapeutic use of the compound in Parkinson's Disease and
related human neurodegenerative diseases.
(0039] Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a common and progressive neurodegenerative
disease. Current estimates suggest that nearly 900,000 individuals in the United States have PD
and that the prevalence is increasing as the US population ages. Dopamine receptor agonists are
used to alleviate the symptoms of PD, such as motoric dysfunction. Unfortunately, the protracted

use of these dopaminergenic agents causes, over time, neuropsychiatric (psychosis) and
troublesome motor (dyskmesia)side effects in 30 to 80% of patients, respectively.
[0040] Antipsychotics and dopamine receptor antagonists can be effective in
ameliorating these adverse effects. Unfortunately, many of these compounds significantly worsen
motor function in PD patients secondary to their hypo-dopaminergic state. Biochemical and
pharmacological data support the hypothesis that potentiation of serotonergic neurotransmission
may be pathophysiologically related to the development of dyskinesias and psychosis in these
patients. While not being bound by this theory, the compounds disclosed herein were selected to
exploit the relationship of serotonergic activity and the negative side-effects associated with
dopaminergenic therapy.
[0041] L-dopa is a typical dopaminergic compound used to treat PD. L-dopa has been
shown to increase central serotonin release, turnover, and metabolite concentrations in rodent
brain. Direct acting dopamine receptor agonists like pergolide possess, in additional to their
dopamine receptor agonist properties, potent agonist activity at serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) and 2C (5-
HT2C) receptors as demonstrated by various in vitro pharmacological assays.
[0042] In one embodiment, the compounds disclosed herein can be used to treat many
side-effects that arise from dopaminergenic therapy. For example, the disclosed compounds are
also useful for treatment of dyskinesia or psychosis caused or exacerbated as a side-effect of other
therapeutic agents such as L-dopa. In one embodiment, the compounds are preferably used for the
treatment of dyskinesia or psychosis associated with L-dopa treatment.
[0043] The compounds may be used to treat existing dyskinesia or psychosis or may
be used prophylactic fashion when for example, it is considered necessary to initiate L-dopa
therapy and it is feared that dyskinesia or psychosis may develop.
[0044] The compounds may be used to treat dyskinesia or psychosis as a monotherapy
or as an adjunct to medicaments to prevent or treat dyskinesia or psychosis side-effects caused by
the medicament or alternatively the compounds may be given in combination with other
compounds which also reduce dyskinesia.
[0045] In some embodiments, the compounds described herein can be formulated into
compositions for administration to patients in need thereof. Appropriate compositions can take a
number of different forms depending on how the composition is to be used. For example, the
composition may be in the form of a powder, tablet, capsule, liquid, ointment, cream, gel, hydrogel,
aerosol, spray, micelle, liposome or any other pharmaceutically acceptable form. One of ordinary
skill in the art would readily appreciate that an appropriate vehicle for use with the disclosed
compounds of the invention should be one that is well tolerated by a recipient of the composition.
The vehicle should also readily enable the delivery of the compounds to appropriate target
receptors. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art would know to consult Pharmaceutical

Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems, by Ansel, et al., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Publishers; 7th ed. (1999) or a similar text for guidance regarding such formulations.
[0046] The composition of the invention may be used in a number of ways. For
instance, systemic administration may be required in which case the disclosed compounds can be
formulated into a composition that can be ingested orally in the form of a tablet, capsule or liquid.
Alternatively the composition may be administered by injection into the blood stream. Injections
may be intravenous (bolus or infusion) or subcutaneous (bolus or infusion). The disclosed
compounds can also be administered centrally by means of intracerebral, intracerebroventricular,
or intrathecal delivery.
[0047] The compound may also be used with a time delayed release device. Such
devices may, for example, be inserted under the skin and the compound may be released over
weeks or months. Such a device may be particularly useful for patients with long term dyskinesia
such as patients on continuous L-dopa therapy for the treatment of PD. The devices may be
particularly advantageous when a compound is used which would normally require frequent
administration (e.g., frequent injection).
[0048] It will be readily appreciated that the amount of a compound required is
determined by biological activity and bioavailability which in turn depends on the mode of
administration, the physicochemical properties of the compound employed and whether the
compound is being used as a monotherapy or in a combined therapy. The frequency of
administration will also be influenced by the above mentioned factors and particularly the half-life
of the compound within the subject being treated.
[0049] One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that specific formulations of
compositions and precise therapeutic regimes (such as daily doses of the compounds and the
frequency of administration) can be determined using known procedures. Such procedures
conventionally employed by the pharmaceutical industry include in vivo experimentation and
clinical trials.
[0050] Generally, a daily dose of between 0.01 ug/kg of body weight and 1.0 g/kg of
body weight of a serotonin 2A/2C receptor inverse agonist can be used with the methods disclosed
herein. In one embodiment, the daily dose is between 0.01 mg/kg of body weight and 100 mg/kg of
body weight, or any milligram or half-milligram quantity in this disclosed range, e.g., 1.5, 2, 2.5,
etc.
[0051] Daily doses may be given as a single administration (e.g. a daily tablet for oral
consumption or as a single daily injection). Alternatively the compound used may require
administration twice or more times during a day, depending on the kinetics of the drug associated
with the individual patient. Alternatively a slow release device may be used to provide optimal
doses to a patient without the need to administer repeated doses. Biochemical Evidence

[0052] The cornerstone of current pharmacological intervention in PD remains L-dopa
based therapies. L-dopa readily crosses the blood brain barrier, is taken up by neurons and
undergoes rapid enzymatic conversion to dopamine, via L-aromatic acid decarboxylase (LAAD)
activity in dopaminergic neurons. The increased availability and release of dopamine from these
neurons clearly leads to increased dopaminergic transmission, and clinical efficacy in reversing the
motoric effects of the hypo-dopaminergic state observed in PD. However, L-dopa lacks specificity
for dopaminergic systems, and LAAD is widely expressed in brain. Early biochemical
observations in rat brain noted that L-dopa substantially reduced central serotonergic stores, and
increased the concentration of the principle serotonin metabolite of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-
HIAA) (1). Histochemical approaches have demonstrated that L-dopa accumulates in serotonergic
neurons, and neurotransmitter release experiments have demonstrated that L-dopa markedly
increased the release of both dopamine and serotonin, that release of serotonin is dependent upon
LAAD activity, and that it is not eliminated by the selective destruction of dopaminergic neurons
(2,3). These observations suggest that the administration of L-dopa to PD patients results in
marked increases in the release of central serotonin, potentiating serotonergic neurotransmission.
Finally, post-mortem biochemical analysis of PD patients that developed psychosis, when
compared to a matched group that did not develop neuropsychiatric disturbances, found that the
patients with psychosis had significant elevations in serotonin and 5-HIAA levels in multiple
cortical and sub-cortical structures, most notably various mesencephalic nuclei including the red
nucleus (4).
[0053] Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) plays a significant role in the
functioning of the mammalian body. In the central nervous system, 5-HT is an important
neurotransmitter and neuromodulator that is implicated in such diverse behaviors and responses as
sleeping, eating, locomotion, perceiving pain, learning and memory, sexual behavior, controlling
body temperature and blood pressure. In the spinal column, serotonin plays an important role in
the control systems of the afferent peripheral nociceptors (Moulignier, Rev. Neurol. 150:3-15,
(1994)). Peripheral functions in the cardiovascular, hematological, and gastrointestinal systems
have also been ascribed to 5-HT. 5-HT has been found to mediate a variety of contractile,
secretory, and electrophysiologic effects including vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle
contraction, and platelet aggregation. (Fuller, Biology of Serotonergic Transmission, 1982; Botillin,
Serotonin In Mental Abnormalities 1:316 (1978); Barchas, et al., Serotonin and Behavior, (1973)).
The 5-HT2A receptor subtype (also referred to as subclass) is widely yet discretely expressed in
the human brain, including many cortical, limbic, and forebrain regions postulated to be involved
in the modulation of higher cognitive and affective functions. This receptor subtype is also
expressed on mature platelets where it mediates, in part, platelet aggregation, one of the initial
steps in the process of vascular thrombosis.

[0954] Given the broad distribution of serotonin within the body, it is understandable
that tremendous interest in drugs that affect serotonergic systems exists (Gershon, et at, The
Peripheral Actions of 5-Hydroxytryptamine, 246 (1989); Saxena, et at, J. Cardiovascular
Pliannacol. 15: Supp. 7 (1990)). Serotonin receptors are members of a large human gene family of
membrane-spanning proteins that function as transducers of intercellular communication. They
exist on the surface of various cell types, including neurons and platelets, where, upon their
activation by either their endogenous ligand serotonin or exogenously administered drugs, they
change their conformational structure and subsequently interact with downstream mediators of
cellular signaling. Many of these receptors, including the 5-HT2A subclass, are G-protein coupled
receptors (GPCRs) that signal by activating guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins),
resulting in the generation, or inhibition of, second messenger molecules such as cyclic AMP,
inositol phosphates, and diacylglycerol. These second messengers then modulate the function of a
variety of intracellular enzymes, including kinases and ion channels, which ultimately affect
cellular excitability and function.
[0055] At least 15 genetically distinct 5-HT receptor subtypes have been identified
and assigned to one of seven families (5-HT1-7). Each subtype displays a unique distribution,
preference for various ligands, and functional correlate(s). Serotonin may be an important
component in various types of pathological conditions such as certain psychiatric disorders
(depression, aggressiveness, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, psychosis,
schizophrenia, suicidal tendency), certain neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer-type dementia,
Parkinsonism, Huntington's chorea), anorexia, bulimia, disorders associated with alcoholism,
cerebral vascular accidents, and migraine (Meltzer, Neuropsychopharmacology, 21:106S-115S
(1999); Barnes & Sharp, Neuropharmacology, 38:1083-1152 (1999); Glennon, Neurosci.
Biobeliavioral Rev., 14:35 (1990)). Recent evidence strongly implicates the 5-HT2 receptor
subtype in the etiology of such medical conditions as hypertension, thrombosis, migraine,
vasospasm, ischemia, depression, anxiety, psychosis, schizophrenia, sleep disorders and appetite
disorders.
[0056] Schizophrenia is a particularly devastating neuropsychiatric disorder that
affects approximately 1 % of the human population. It has been estimated that the total financial
cost for the diagnosis, treatment, and lost societal productivity of individuals affected by this
disease exceeds 2% of the gross national product (GNP) of the United States. Current treatment
primarily involves pharmacotherapy with a class of drugs known as antipsychotics. Antipsychotics.
are effective in ameliorating positive symptoms (e.g., hallucinations and delusions), yet they
frequently do not improve negative symptoms (e.g., social and emotional withdrawal, apathy, and
poverty of speech).

[0057] Currently, nine major classes of antipsychotics are prescribed to treat
psychotic symptoms. Use of these compounds is limited, however, by their side effect profiles.
Nearly all of the "typical" or older generation compounds have significant adverse effects on
human motor function. These "extrapyramidal" side effects, so termed due to their effects on
modulatory human motor systems, can be both acute (e.g., dystonic reactions, a potentially life
threatening but rare neuroleptic malignant syndrome) and chronic (e.g., akathisias, tremors, and
tardive dyskinesia). Drug development efforts have, therefore, focused on newer "atypical" agents
free of these adverse effects.
[0058] Antipsychotic drugs have been shown to interact with a large number of
central monoaminergic neurotransmitter receptors, including dopaminergic, serotonergic,
adrenergic, muscarinic, and histaminergic receptors. It is likely that the therapeutic and adverse
effects of these drugs are mediated by distinct receptor subtypes. The high degree of genetic and
pharmacological homology between these receptor subtypes has hampered the development of
subtype-selective compounds, as well as the determination of the normal physiologic or
pathophysiologic role of any particular receptor subtype. Thus there is a need to develop drugs that
are selective for individual receptor classes and subclasses amongst monoaminergic
neurotransmitter receptors.
[0059] The prevailing theory for the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs
involves antagonism of dopamine D2 receptors. Unfortunately, it is likely that antagonism of
dopamine D2 receptors also mediates the extrapyramidal side effects. Antagonism of 5-HT2A is an
alternate molecular mechanism for drugs with antipsychotic efficacy, possibly through antagonism
of heightened or exaggerated signal transduction through serotonergic systems. 5-HT2A
antagonists are therefore good candidates for treating psychosis without extrapyramidal side
effects.
[0060] Traditionally, these receptors have been assumed to exist in a quiescent state
unless activated by the binding of an agonist (a drug that activates a receptor). It is now appreciated
that many, if not most, of the GPCR monoamine receptors, including serotonin receptors, can exist
in a partially activated state in the absence of their endogenous agonists. This increased basal
activity (constitutive activity) can be inhibited by compounds called inverse agonists. Both agonists
and inverse agonists possess intrinsic activity at a receptor, in that they alone can activate or
inactivate these molecules, respectively. In contrast, classic or neutral antagonists compete against
agonists and inverse agonists for access to the receptor, but do not possess the intrinsic ability to
inhibit elevated basal or constitutive receptor-responses.
[0061] We have elucidated an important aspect of 5-HT2A receptor function by
applying the Receptor Selection and Amplification Technology (U.S. Patent 5,707,798, 1998;
Chem. Abstr. 128:111548 (1998) and citations therein), to the study of the 5-HT2 subclass of

serotonin receptors. R-SAT is a phenotypic assay of receptor function that involves the
heterologous expression of receptors in mammalian fibroblasts. Using this technology we were
able to demonstrate that native 5-HT2A receptors possess significant constitutive, or agonist-
independent, receptor activity (U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/103,317). Furthermore, by
directly testing a large number of centrally acting medicinal compounds with known clinical
activity in neuropsychiatric disease, we determined that compounds with antipsychotic efficacy all
shared a common molecular property. Nearly all of these compounds, which are used by
psychiatrists to treat psychosis, were found to be potent 5-HT2A inverse agonists. This unique
clinico-pharmacologic correlation at a single receptor subtype is compelling evidence that 5-HT2A
receptor inverse agonism is a molecular mechanism of antipsychotic efficacy in humans.
[0062] Detailed pharmacological characterization of a large number of antipsychotic
compounds revealed that they possess broad activity at multiple related receptor subtypes. Most of
these compounds display agonist, competitive antagonist, or inverse agonist activity at multiple
monoaminergic receptor subtypes, including serotoninergic, dopaminergic, adrenergic, muscarinic
and histaminergic receptors. This broad activity is likely responsible for the sedating, hypotensive,
and motor side effects of these compounds. It would therefore be of great advantage to develop
compounds that are selective inverse agonists of the 5-HT2A receptor, but which have little or no
activity on other monamine receptor subtypes, especially dopamine D2 receptors. Such
compounds may be useful in the treatment of human disease (e.g., as anti-psychotics), and may
avoid the adverse side effects associated with non-selective receptor interactions.
(0063] The compound of formula (I) is active at monoamine receptors, specifically
serotonin receptors. In one embodiment, the compound acts as inverse agonist at the 5-HT2A
receptor. Thus, experiments performed on cells transiently expressing the human phenotype of
said receptor have shown that the compound of formula (I) attenuates the signaling of such
receptors in the absence of additional ligands acting upon the receptor. The compound has thus
been found to possess intrinsic activity at this receptor and is able to attenuate the basal, non-
agonist-stimulated, constitutive signaling responses that the 5-HT2A receptor displays. The
observation that the compound of formula (I) is an inverse agonist also indicates that the compound
has the ability to antagonize the activation of 5-HT2A receptors that is mediated by endogenous
agonists or exogenous synthetic agonist ligands.
[0064] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) shows a relatively high
degree of selectivity towards the 5-HT2A subtype of serotonin receptors relative to other subtypes
of the serotonin (5-HT) family of receptors as well as to other receptors, most particularly the
monoaminergic G-protein coupled receptors, such as dopamine receptors.
[0065] The compound of formula (I) may therefore be useful for treating or alleviating
symptoms of disease conditions associated with impaired function, in particular elevated levels of

activity, of especially 5-HT2A receptors, whether this impaired function is associated with
improper levels of receptor stimulation or phenotypical aberrations.
[0066] Others have previously hypothesized that certain neuropsychological diseases
might be caused by altered levels of constitutive activity of monoamine receptors. Such
constitutive activity might be modified via contacting the relevant receptor with a synthetic inverse
agonist. By directly testing a large number of centrally acting medicinal compounds with known
clinical activity in neuropsychiatric disease, we determined that compounds with antipsychotic
efficacy all shared a common molecular property. Nearly all of these compounds that are used by
psychiatrists to treat psychosis were found to be potent 5-HT2A inverse agonists. This correlation
is compelling evidence that 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonism is a molecular mechanism of
antipsychotic efficacy in humans,
[0067] Detailed pharmacological characterization of a large number of antipsychotic
compounds in our laboratory revealed that they possess broad activity at multiple related receptor
subtypes. Most of these compounds display either agonist, competitive antagonist, or inverse
agonist activity at multiple monoaminergic receptor subtypes including serotoninergic,
dopaminergic, adrenergic, muscarinic and histaminergic receptors. This broad activity is likely
responsible for the sedating, hypotensive, and motor side effects of these compounds. In one
embodiment, the compound of formula (I) possesses efficacy as, for example, a novel
antipsychotic, but will have fewer or less severe side effects than existing compounds.
[0068] In one embodiment a method is provided to inhibit activity of a monoamine
receptor. This method comprises contacting a monoamine receptor or a system containing the
monamine receptor, with an effective amount of the compound of formula (1). According to one
embodiment, the monamine receptor is a serotonin receptor. In one embodiment, the compound is
selective for the 5-HT2A receptor subclass. In another embodiment, the compound has little or
substantially no activity to other types of receptors, including other serotonergic receptors and most
particularly, monoaminergic G-protein coupled receptors, such as dopaminergic receptors.
[0069] The system containing the monoamine receptor may, for example, be a subject
such as a mammal, non-human primate or a human. The receptor may be located in the central or
peripheral nervous system, blood cells or platelets.
[0070] The system may also be an in vivo or in vitro experimental model, such as a
cell culture model system that expresses a monamine receptor, a cell-free extract thereof that
contains a monoamine receptor, or a purified receptor. Non-limiting examples of such systems are
tissue culture cells expressing the receptor or extracts or lysates thereof. Cells that may be used in
the present method include any cells capable of mediating signal transduction via monoamine
receptors, especially the 5-HT2A receptor, either via endogenous expression of this receptor (e.g.,
certain types of neuronal cells lines, for example, natively express the 5-HT2A receptor), or

following transftectipn of cells with plasmids containing the receptor gene. Such cells are typically
mammalian cells (or other eukaryotic cells, such as insect cells or Xenopus oocytes), because cells
of lower organisms generally lack the appropriate signal transduction pathways for the present
purpose. Examples of suitable cells include: the mouse fibroblast cell line NIH 3T3 (ATCC CRL
1658), which responds to transfected 5-HT2A receptors by stimulating growth; RAT 1 cells (Pace
et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7031-35 (1991)); and pituitary cells (Vallar et al., Nature
330:556-58 (1987). Other useful mammalian cells for the present method include HEK 293 cells,
CHO cells, and COS cells.
[0071] One embodiment provides methods of inhibiting activity of a native, mutated
or modified monoamine receptor. Also provided are kits for performing the same. In one
embodiment, the activity of the receptor is a signaling activity. In another embodiment, the activity
of the receptor is the constitutive basal activity of the receptor.
[0072] In one embodiment, the activity of the receptor is a response, such as a
signaling response, to an endogenous agonist, such as 5-HT, or an exogenous agonistic agent, such
as a drug or other synthetic ligand. The compound of formula (I) may act by either inversely
agonizing or antagonizing the receptor.
[0073] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) is an inverse agonist selective
for the 5-HT2A receptor and the compound has little or substantially no activity toward other
serotonergic or other monoaminergjc receptors, such as dopaminergic receptors.
[0074] In a further embodiment, a method is provided for inhibiting an activation of a
monoamine receptor comprising contacting the monoamine receptor, or a system containing the
monoamine receptor, with the compound of formula (I). The activation of the receptor may be due
to an exogenous or endogenous agonist agent, or may be the constitutive activation associated with
a native, mutated or modified receptor. The receptor may be purified or present in an in vitro or in
vivo system. The receptor may also be present in the central or peripheral nervous system, blood
cells or platelets of a nonhuman or human subject Also provided are kits for performing the same.
[0075] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) is selective for 5-HT class
serotonin receptors, such as the 5-HT2A subclass of serotonin receptors. In another embodiment,
the compound has little or substantially no anti-dopaminergic activity.
[0076] One embodiment provides methods of treating a disease condition associated
with a monoamine receptor comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment an
effective amount of the compound of formula (1). One embodiment provides methods for treating
or alleviating disease conditions associated with improper function or stimulation of native, as well
as mutated or otherwise modified, forms of central serotonin receptors, particularly the 5-HT class
of such receptors, comprising administration of an effective amount of a selective inverse agonist
of formula (I) to a host in need of such treatment. Also provided are kits for performing the same.

[0077] In one embodiment, the receptor is the 5-HT2A subclass. In one embodiment,
the disease condition is associated with dysfunction of the serotonin receptor. In another
embodiment, the disease condition is associated with activation of the serotonin receptor, for
instance, inappropriately elevated or constitutive activation, elevated serotonergic tone, as well as
disease conditions associated with secondary cellular functions impaired by such pathologies.
[0078] Examples of diseases for which such treatment using the compound of formula
(I) is useful include, but are not limited to, neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and
related idiopatiuc psychoses, anxiety, sleep disorders, appetite disorders, affective disorders such
as major depression, bipolar disorder, and depression with psychotic features, and Tourette's
Syndrome, drug-induced psychoses, psychoses secondary to neurodegenerative disorders such as
Alzheimer's or Huntington's Disease. It is anticipated that the compound of formula (I), a
particularly selective inverse agonist of 5-HT2A that shows little or no activity on dopaminergic
receptors, may be especially useful for treating schizophrenia. Treatment using the compound of
formula (I) may also be useful in treating migraine, vasospasm, hypertension, various thrombotic
conditions including myocardial infarction, thrombotic or ischemic stroke, idiopathic and
thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and peripheral vascular disease.
[0079] In a further embodiment the present invention provides methods for treating or
alleviating a disease condition associated with improper function, dysfunction, or stimulation of
native, as well as mutated or otherwise modified, forms of central or peripheral monoamine
receptors, such methods comprising administration of an effective amount of a compound of
formula (I) to a host in need of such treatment. In one embodiment, the monamine receptor is
serotonin receptor in the peripheral nervous system, blood or platelets, m some embodiments, the
serotonin receptor is a 5-HT2A subclass receptor. In additional -embodiments, the disease
condition is associated with increased activity or activation of a serotonin receptor. Also provided
are kits for performing the same.
[0080] Some embodiments also pertain to the field of predictive medicine in which
pharmacogenomics is used for prognostic (predictive) purposes. Pharmacogenomics deals with
clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition
and abnormal action in affected persons. See e.g., Eichelbaum, Clin Exp Pharmacol. Physiol.,
23:983-935 (1996). and Under, Clin. Chem. 43:254-66 (1997). In general, two types of
pharmacogenetic conditions can be differentiated: genetic conditions transmitted as a single factor
altering the way drugs act on the body (altered drug action), and genetic conditions transmitted as
single factors altering the way the body acts on drugs (altered drug metabolism). These
pharmacogenetic conditions can occur as naturally occurring polymorphisms.
[0081] One pharmacogenomics approach to identifying genes that predict drug
response, known as "a genome-wide association," relies primarily on a high-resolution map of the

human genome consisting of already known gene-related markers (e.g., a "bi-allelic" gene marker
map that consists of 60,000-100,000 polymorphic or variable sites on the human genome, each of
which has two variants). Such a high-resolution genetic map can be compared to a map of the
genome of each of a statistically significant number of patients taking part in a Phase II/III drug
trial to identify markers associated with a particular observed drug response or side effect.
Alternatively, such a high-resolution map can be generated from a combination of some ten-million
known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome. As used herein, a "SNP" is
a common alteration that occurs in a single nucleotide base in a stretch of DNA. For example, a
SNP may occur once per every 1,000 bases of DNA. A SNP may be involved in a disease process;
however, the vast majority may not be disease-associated. Given a genetic map based on the
occurrence of such SNPs, individuals can be grouped into genetic categories depending on a
particular pattern of SNPs in their individual genome. In such a manner, treatment regimens can be
tailored to groups of genetically similar individuals, taking into account traits that may be common
among such genetically similar individuals.
[00S2] Alternatively, a method termed the "candidate gene approach" can be utilized
to identify genes that predict drug response. According to this method, if a gene that encodes a
drug's target is known (e.g., a protein or a receptor of the present invention), all common variants
of that gene can be fairly easily identified in the population and it can be determined if having one
version of the gene versus another is associated with a particular drug response.
[0083] Alternatively, a method termed the "gene expression profiling", can be utilized
to identify genes that predict drug response. For example, the gene expression of an animal dosed
with a drug (e.g., a molecule or modulator of the present invention) can give an indication whether
gene pathways related to toxicity have been turned on.
[0084] Information generated from more than one of the above pharmacogenomics
approaches can be used to determine appropriate dosage and treatment regimens for prophylactic or
therapeutic treatment of an individual. This knowledge, when applied to dosing or drug selection,
can avoid adverse reactions or therapeutic failure and thus enhance therapeutic or prophylactic
efficiency when treating a subject with a molecule or modulator of the invention, such as a
modulator identified by one of the exemplary screening assays described herein. As we have
described previously, this approach can also be used to identify novel candidate receptor or other
genes suitable for further pharmacological characterization in vitro and in vivo.
[0085] Accordingly, one embodiment provides methods and kits for identifying a
genetic polymorphism predisposing a subject to being responsive to the compound of formula (I).
The method comprises administering to a subject an effective amount of the compound; identifying
a responsive subject having an ameliorated disease condition associated with a monamine receptor;
and identifying a genetic polymorphism in the responsive subject, wherein the genetic

polymorphism predisposes a subject to being responsive to the compound. It is anticipated that this
method may be useful both for predicting which individuals are responsive to therapeutic effects of
the compound and also for predicting those likely to experience adverse side effect responses. This
approach may be useful for identifying, for example, polymorphisms in a serotonin receptor that
lead to constitutive activation and are thus amenable to inverse agonist therapy. In addition, this
method may be useful for identifying polymorphisms that lead to altered drug metabolism whereby
toxic byproducts are generated in the body. Such a mechanism has been implicated in the rare, but
potentially life threatening side effects of the atypical antipsychotic, clozapine.
[00S6] In a related embodiment, a method for identifying a subject suitable for
treatment with the compound of formula (I) is provided. According to the method, the presence of
a polymorphism that predisposes the subject to being responsive to the compound is detected, the
presence of the polymorphism indicating that the subject is suitable for treatment. Also provided
are kits for performing the same.
[0087] The compound of formula (I) preferably shows selective inverse agonist
activity towards the 5-HT2A receptor. Such activity is defined by an ability of the ligand to
attenuate or abolish the constitutive signaling activity of this receptor. Selectivity in the present
context is understood as a property of a compound of the invention whereby an amount of
compound that effectively inversely agonizes the 5-HT2A receptor and thereby decreases its
activity causes little or no inverse agonistic or antagonistic activity at other, related or unrelated,
receptors. In particular, the compound of formula (I) has surprisingly been found not to interact
strongly with other serotonin receptors (5-HT 1A, 1B, 1D, 1E, 1F, 2B, 2C, 4A, 6, and 7) at
concentrations where the signaling of the 5-HT2A receptor is strongly or completely inhibited. In
one embodiment, the compound is also selective with respect to other monoamine-binding
receptors, such as the dopaminergic, histaminergic, adrenergic and muscarinic receptors.
[0088] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of alleviating or
treating a disease condition in which modification of monoamine receptor activity, in particular 5-
HT2A serotonergic receptor activity, has a beneficial effect by administering a therapeutically
effective amount of the compound of formula (I) to a subject in need of such treatment. Such
diseases or conditions may, for instance arise from inappropriate stimulation or activation of
serotonergic receptors. It is anticipated that by using a compound that is selective for a particular
serotonin receptor subtype, in particular 5-HT2A, the problems with adverse side effects observed
with the known antipsychotic drugs, such as extrapyramidal effects, may be avoided substantially.
[0089] The term "therapeutically effective amount" as used herein means an amount
of an active compound or pharmaceutical agent that elicits the biological or medicinal response in a
tissue, system, animal or human that is being sought by a researcher, veterinarian, medical doctor

or other clinician, which includes alleviation, amelioration, or lessening of the symptoms of the
disease being treated, or prevents or slows the progress of the disease or increase of the symptoms.
[0090] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) may be administered in a
single daily dose, or the total daily dosage may be administered in divided doses, for example, two,
three or four times daily. Furthermore, the compound of formula (I) may be administered in
intranasal form via topical use of suitable intranasal vehicles, via transdermal routes, using those
forms of transdermal skin patches well known to persons skilled in the art, by implantable pumps;
or by any other suitable means of administration. To be administered in the form of a transdermal
delivery system, for example, the dosage administration will, of course, be continuous rather than
intermittent throughout the dosage regimen.
[0091] The dosage regimen utilizing the compound of formula (I) is selected in
accordance with a variety of factors including type, species, age, weight, sex and medical condition
of the patient; the severity of the condition to be treated; the route of administration; the renal and
hepatic function of the patient; and the particular compound employed. A physician or veterinarian
of ordinary skill can readily determine and prescribe the effective amount of the drug required to
prevent, counter or arrest the progress of the disease or disorder that is being treated.
[0092] For oral administration, compositions containing the compound of formula (I)
are preferably provided in the form of tablets containing 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0,
15.0, 25.0 or 50.0 mg of the active ingredient for the symptomatic adjustment of the dosage to the
patient to be treated. In one embodiment, a unit dose contains from about 0.001 mg to about 50 mg
of the active ingredient. In another embodiment a unit dose contains from about 1 mg to about 10
mg of active ingredient.
[0093] The compound of formula (I) may be used alone at appropriate dosages
defined by routine testing in order to obtain optimal pharmacological effect on a monoaminergic
receptor,.in particular the 5-HT2A serotonergic receptor subtype, while minimizing any potential
toxic or otherwise unwanted effects. In addition, co-administration or sequential administration of
other agents that improve the effect of the compound may, in some cases, be desirable.
[0094] hi one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) may be combined with an
additional therapeutic agent. Additional therapeutic agents may include: levodopa (SINEMET™.
SINEMET-CR™, bromocriptine (PARLODEL™), pergolide (PERMAX™), ephenedrine sulfate
(EPHEDRINE™), pemoline CYLERT™), mazindol (SANOREX™), d,l--methylphenethylamine
(ADDERALL™), methylphenydate (RITALIN™), pramipexole (MIRAPEX™), modafinil
(PROVIGIL™), ropinirole (REQUIP™), an anti-dyskensia agent, an auti-dystonia, an anti-
myoclonus, an anti-tremor agent, or an anti-psychotic agent. In some embodiments, the anti-
dyskensia agent is selected from baclofen (Lioresal™), botulinum toxin (Botox™), clonazepam
(Klonopin™), or diazepam (Valium™). In some embodiments, the anti-dystonia, anti-myoclonus,

or anti-tremor agents are selected from baclofen (LIORESAL™), botulinum toxin (BOTOX™),
clonazepam (KLONOPIN™), or diazepam (VALIUM™). In some embodiments, the anti-
psychotic agent is selected from chlorpromazine (THORAZINE™), haloperodol (HALDOL™),
molindone (MOBAN™), thioridazine (MELLARIL™), a phenothiazine, a butyrophenome,
diphenulbutylpiperinde (pimozide), thioxanthines (fluphenthixol), substituted benzamides
(sulpiride), sertindole, amisulpride, risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, or
their active metabolites (N-desmethylclozapine, N-desmethylolanzapine, 9-OH-risperdone)).
[0095] The pharmacological properties and the selectivity of the compound of formula
(I) for specific serotonergic receptor subtypes may be demonstrated by a number of different assay
methods using recombinant receptor subtypes, preferably of the human receptors if these are
available, e.g. conventional second messenger or binding assays. A particularly convenient
functional assay system is the receptor selection and amplification assay disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,707,798, which describes a method of screening for bioactive compounds by utilizing the ability
of cells transfected with receptor DNA, e.g., coding for the different serotonergic subtypes, to
amplify in the presence of a ligand of the receptor. Cell amplification is detected as increased
levels of a marker also expressed by the cells.
Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders
[0096] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) and related serotonin 2A and/
or 2C receptor inverse agonists alone or in combination with other antipsychotic drugs, particularly
those with dopamine antagonist properties, are used to treat a variety of human neuropsychiatric
diseases including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, mania and psychotic depression.
Specifically, the compound of formula (I) and related serotonin 2A/2C receptor inverse agonists
can improve psychotic symptoms (feelings of being controlled by outside forces, hearing, seeing,
smelling or feeling things which are not there, hallucinations and unusual beliefs, delusions),
negative symptoms (loss of normal behavior including tiredness, loss of concentration and lack of
energy and motivation, and cognitive function in psychotic patients when used alone or in
combination with other antipsychotic drugs. These agents also reduce the side-effects associated
with the use of existing antipsychotic drugs and reduce the dose of exisiting agent that is required
to achieve antipsychotic efficacy. Specifically, the compound of formula (I) and related compounds
alone or in combination with existing antipsychotic drugs can be used to control the behavioral and
neuropsychiatric manifestations present in all of these disease states. In some embodiments,
pharmaceutical compositions comprised of a combination of the compound of formula (I) and
existing antipsychotic agents are used.
[0097] Neuropsychiatric disorders associated with psychosis affect a large proportion
of the human population. Psychosis appears as a dominating symptom in diverse disorders,
including schizophrenia, schizoaffective states, mania, psychotic depression among others. Current

receptors, these drugs as a class have a multitude of pharmacologically relevant interactions with
critical neuronal proteins including a host of cell surface receptors, ion channels, and re-uptake
transporters. This lack of drug target specificity likely contributes to the multiplicity of adverse
effects associated with use of existing antipsychotic agents.
[0103] These observations highlight the need to develop novel therapeutic regimens
that are specifically designed to not only demonstrate efficacy against these particular disabling
symptoms but to also possess tolerability in these specific patient populations. This can be
achieved by improving the selectivity of the drug target interactions of new therapeutic agents.
Specifically, the development of agents with novel mechanisms of action that avoid the known
pitfalls associated with existing agents is desired. In addition, improved selectivity avoids the
known adverse effects associated with interactions with non-efficacy off-target receptor
interaction. For example many antipsychotic drugs possess high affinity interactions with H1
receptors. H1 antagonism is associated with sedation. Further, other antipsuchotic drugs have
affinity interactions with alpha receptors. Antagonism of alpha-1 receptors is associated with
orthostasis. Improvements in therapeutic efficacy and safety also can be achieved by combining
two or more agents each with selective target interactions to achieve additive or synergistic
benefits. Specifically, by combining one drug that specifically interacts with D2 receptors as an
antagonist and another drug like the compound of formula (I) that interacts with specifically with
5-HT2A/2C receptors as antagonist or inverse agonist, the multitude of off-target interactions of
existing antipsychotic drugs can be avoided.
[0104] In one embodiment, serotonin 2A and/or 2C receptor inverse agonists are used
to treat a variety of human neuropsychiatric diseases including schizophrenia, schizoaffective
disorders, mania, behavioral disturbances associated with dementia and psychotic depression. For
example, the compounds disclosed herein have utility in reducing the positive symptoms,
improving negative symptoms and enhancing cognitive function in patients with certain
neuropsychiatric diseases.
J0105] Antipsychotics and dopamine receptor antagonists can be effective in
ameliorating positive symptoms in schizophrenia and related diseases. Unfortunately, many of
these compounds significantly worsen motor function and increase negative symptoms or leave
these and other symptoms untreated in these patients. Biochemical and pharmacological data
support the hypothesis that potentiation of serotonergic neurotransmission may be
pathophysiologically important in the development of these unwanted effects and conversely
blockade of serotonergic neurotransmission may reduced the side-effects associated with
antipsychotic drug therapy. While not being bound by this theory, the compound of formula (I)
was selected to exploit the relationship of serotonergic activity and the limiting effects associated
with antipsychotic therapy.

[0106] Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic with specificity as a D2 receptor
antagonist. This compound commonly is used to treat the positive symptoms associated with acute
exacerbations of schizophrenia. Unfortunately, the use of this compound is associated with a
plethora of unwanted motoric side effects, including akathisia, parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia
and neuroleptic maliginant syndrome. This compound also does not alter or worsens negative
symptoms and cognitive function in these patients.
[0107] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) can be used to treat many
side-effects that arise from antipsychotic therapy. For example, the compound of formula (I) may
be useful for treatment of motoric side-effects of other antipsychotic agents such as haloperidol. In
one embodiment, the eompound of formula (I) is used for the treatment of motoric side-effects
associated with haloperidol treatment.
[0108] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) may be used prophylactically
when for example, it is considered necessary to initiate haloperidol therapy and it is feared that
motoric deficits may develop.
[01091 In some embodiments, the compound of formula (I) may be used to treat
psychosis as a monotherapy or as an adjunct to medicaments to prevent or treat antipsychotic drug
side-effects caused by the medicament. Alternatively, the compound of formula (I) may be given
in combination with other compounds, which also reduce antipsychotic drug side-effects.
[0110] In one embodiment, the compound of formula (I) may used to treat the
negative symptoms of certain neuropsychiatric disease including schizophrenia as a monotherapy
of as an adjunct to medicaments used to treat the positive symptom of these diseases.
[0111] In some embodiments, the compound of formula (I) also may used to improve
cognitive function in certain neuropsychiatric disease including schizophrenia as a monotherapy or
as an adjunct to medicaments used to treat the positive symptom of these diseases.
Methods of preparation
[0112] The compound of formula (I) may be synthesized by methods described below,
or by modification of these methods. Ways of modifying the methodology include, among others,
modification in temperature, solvent, reagents, etc.
[0113] The first step of the synthesis, illustrated below, is conducted in the presence
of acetic, acid, NaBH3CN, and methanol to produce the compound of formula (If):




EXAMPLES
[0119] The examples below are non-limiting and are set forth to illustrate some of the
embodiments disclosed herein.
Example 1 - Agonist Studies
[0120] Parkinson's disease is typically managed using direct acting dopamine
agonists. Examples of this class of compounds include pergolide, bromocriptine, pramipexole and
ropinirole. These drugs are thought to be effective because of their agonist activity at the
dopamine D2, D3, and D4 receptors located in striatal and forebrain regions. This activity may
compensate for the progressive loss of forebrain dopaminergic innervation that characterizes the

PD. However, these drugs are not specific for these dopaminergic receptors and also possess
potent agonist activity at other receptors, including 5HT2A and 5HT2C receptors. Using a
physiologically predictive in vitro functional assay, it is shown below that pergolide, lisuride, and
bromocriptine display agonist potencies at human 5HT2A receptors that are equivalent to those
observed at the human D2 receptor. (Figure 1A and 1B, and Table 1).
[0121] Using the R-SAT assay, the activity of common dopeaminergic compounds
against dopamine and serotonin receptor types was studied. (See U.S. Patent Nos. 5,912,132 and
5,955,281.) In Figure 1, data were plotted as percentage agonist response as determined for a
reference full agonist (100%) versus drug concentration. The reference full agonist used for the D2
receptor was quinpirole, while serotonin was used for the 5HT2A receptor. Compounds tested
include dopamine (filled squares), quinpirole (filled circles), lisuride (filled triangles),
bromocriptine (filled diamonds), serotonin (open squares), and pergolide (filled inverted triangles).
Potencies of representative dose response curves using dopamine D2 receptors were determined and
are shown in Figure 1A; (pergolide-0.21 nM, dopamine-8.0 nM, lisuride-0.023 nM, quinpirole-3.3
nM, bromocriptine-0.43 nM, and serotonin-no response). Figure 1B shows compound potency
against the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor; (dopamine-no response, quinpirole-174 nM, lisuride-0.028
nM, bromocriptine-2.7 nM, serotonin-33 nM, and pergolide-0.22 nM).
[0122] Because these drugs are administered in the clinic to achieve D2 receptor
occupancy, these data argue that direct acting dopamine agonists are also behaving as 5HT2A
receptor agonists in vivo when administered in therapeutic doses to PD patients.

[0123] Data are derived from R-SAT assays. As shown, all compounds displayed full
(>75%) relative agonist efficacies. Data are reported as -Log (EC50) values +/- standard deviation
of three to eight separate determinations. The VGV isoform of the 5HT2C receptor, and the short
form of the D2 receptor were utilized for these studies. NA denotes no activity, NT denotes not
tested.
[0124] The agonist activity of these anti-parkinsonian agents at human 5HT2A/C
receptors has particular implications for the generation and treatment of human hallucinations and

psychosis. Thai certain natural and synthetic chemical compounds can induce hallucinatory states
in humans has led to detailed investigations of the mechanisms of action of these hallucinogenic or
psychotomimetic drugs. These efforts have implicated a number of molecular activities of these
classes of drugs as being relevant to their ability to induce hallucinations, particularly visual
hallucinations, in normal healthy individuals. Hallucinogens fall into two distinct chemical classes,
the phenylethanolamines, and the substituted tryptamines, both of which are structurally related to
serotonin. Many in vitro studies, utilizing radioligand binding techniques, as well as functional
pharmacological assays, have repeatedly demonstrated that these drugs are potent 5HT2A and
5HT2C receptor agonists (5). More recent in vivo studies, in which normal volunteers are
administered the hallucinogen MDMA (Ecstasy) and then evaluated for clinical response, as well
as anatomical measures of brain activation utilizing functional neuro-imaging technologies, have
demonstrated that the psychometric and pharmacological activities of hallucinogens can be blocked
by anti-psychotic drugs as well as the compound ketanserin (6,7). These drugs share a common
molecular property, 5HT2A receptor inverse agonism.
Example 2 - Inverse Agonist Studies
[0125] Once treatment-induced motoric and neuropsychiatric symptoms develop in
PD patients, few viable therapeutic options exist to manage these disturbances. Treatment
strategies differ for these two classes of symptoms, but one uniformly clinically efficacious, yet
poorly tolerated approach, involves the use of antipsychotic agents. Antipsychotics are known to
possess high affinity for the dopamine D2 subclass of dopamine receptors and neutral antagonism
of these receptors underlie the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs in human psychosis. In addition
to dopamine D2 receptor antagonism, these agents possess a wide range of additional potent and
pharmacologically relevant activities at many of the other monoaminergjc receptor subtypes
including serotonin, adrenergic, muscarinic and histaminergic receptors. Of these additional
molecular actions, 5HT2A receptor interactions have been the subject of significant study. That
antipsychotics have high affinity for multiple receptor subtypes, including serotonin 2 receptors,
was demonstrated by the application of radioligand binding techniques (8). The methodologies
used to document this cannot define the nature of the interaction between an anti-psychotic
antipsychotic and a given receptor. For example, the methods are unable to distinguish as to
whether a drug possesses positive (agonist) or negative (inverse agonist) intrinsic activity, or if it
lacks intrinsic activity and functions as a neutral antagonist. Recently, this class of drugs was
profiled using a functional assay that can mscriminate the mechanistic nature of a drug-target
interaction (9).
[0126] This approach revealed a number of novel aspects of antipsychotic drug action
(See U.S. Patent No. 6,358,698). It confirmed that these drugs as a class possess potent neutral
antagonistic activity at the D2 receptor. Importantly, it also revealed that nearly all antipsychotic

drugs, with the exception of the substituted benzamides, possess potent negative intrinsic activity
(inverse agonism) at the 5HT2A receptor. These efforts have identified inverse agonist activity at
the 5HT2A receptor as being a critical molecular component of anti-psychotic drug action, and
suggest that compounds that are selective 5HT2A receptor inverse agonists may have antipsychotic
efficacy, even in the absence of D2 receptor activity.
[0127] None of the older typical antipsychotics, exemplified by haloperidol, can be
administered to PD patients because of severe worsening in their motor states. The more recent
development of newer atypical agents, namely those with reduced (but clearly not absent) liability
to induced motoric side effects, suggested that perhaps these agents could be used in PD patients to
control dyskinesias and hallucinosis. Unfortunately, the majority of these agents are not tolerated
in PD patients secondary to worsening of motor function (10). Of the atypical agents, only one,
clozapine, has shown efficacy in treating these adverse treatment-induced side effects in PD
patients without untoward motoric liabilities. As such, an improved understanding of the in vitro
molecular profile of clozapine can provide critical insights into the design of novel agents for these
difficult to treat indications.
[0123] The demonstration that clozapine is tolerated in PD patients comes from
studies on treatment-induced psychosis. Two well-designed placebo controlled, double blind
clinical trials have shown that clozapine is efficacious in psychotic PD patients, and does not
worsen parkinsonism, at doses in the 25-35 mg/day range (11,12). Similarly, two open label
studies of clozapine in L-dopa and apomorphine induced dyskinesias also demonstrate efficacy and
tolerability of low doses of clozapine, on the order of 50-100 mgs/day in these patients (13,14).
The dosages used in these PD patients are much lower dian the typical 600-900 mg/day range of
doses used in treatment refractory schizophrenia. Commensurate with this lower dosing, plasma
levels of clozapine in PD patients with psychosis ranged from 4.5 to 16.1 ng/ml (15). This is
dramatically lower than the £ 250 ng/ml average serum levels that are associated with therapeutic
response in refractory schizophrenic patients.
[0129] Not surprisingly, the administration of low dose clozapine, and the
commensurate plasma levels obtained at these doses, are well below those necessary for D2
receptor occupancy, providing a mechanistic understanding of why these dosages are tolerated with
respect to motoric liability in these patients. (Positron emission tomography (PET) studies in
schizophrenic patients have defined steady state plasma concentrations of clozapine that are
required to generate high occupancy of striatal dopamine D2 receptors). These data also argue that
efficacy in dyskinesia and psychosis is mediated by one or more of the non-D2 receptor targets of
this drug. Since rank orders of receptor potencies, as determined by in vitro pharmacological
assays, has repeatedly been shown to be a reliable predictor of in vivo receptor action, the receptor
sites for which clozapine display a higher potency than D2 receptors would be predicted to

potentially mediate its clinical efficacy in this indication. Detailed functional profiling of
clozapine against over 30 of the known monoatninergic receptor subtypes has identified only five
sites with higher affinity than dopamine D2 receptors, histamine H1, muscarinic ml and m4, and
serotonin 2A, 2B, and 6 receptors. Table 2 reports the absolute and relative potencies of clozapine
at some of these monoamine receptor targets as determined by the physiologically predictive in
vitro R-SAT assay. These data suggest that at the clinical dosing and serum levels of clozapine
observed in PD, two receptor sites are preferentially occupied, the histamine H1 and 5HT2A
receptors.
[0130] Conversely, plasma levels achieved with 50 mgs/day of clozapine result in full
occupancy of cortical 5HT2A receptors,, and extrapolation to the plasma levels observed in PD
patients treated for psychosis suggest near complete occupancy of 5HT2A receptors at these
dosages as well (16). Whereas central occupancy of 5HT2A receptors, coupled with negative
intrinsic activity, may mediate efficacy in these states, central occupancy of histamine H1 receptors
is known to cause sedation, an effect that was observed in the majority of PD patients treated with
low dose clozapine. Taken together these data suggest that clozapine is acting primarily as a
5HT2A receptor inverse agonist in this clinical setting.

[0131] Data are derived from (9) and are reported as Ki values for the D2 receptor
determined as a competitive antagonist, and EC50 values for the remaining receptors determined as
inverse agonists, in nanomolar unit's +/- standard deviation of three to eight separate
determinations.
Behavioral Pharmacological Evidence
[0132] The tartrate salt of the compound, N-(l-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-(4-
flourophenylmethyl)-N'-(4-{2-metliylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)carbamide (compound of formula
(I)), is a potent, selective, orally bioavailable 5HT2A receptor inverse agonist. The compound of
formula (I) also possesses lesser potency as a 5-HT2C receptor inverse agonist and lacks intrinsic
activity at the remaining monoaminergic receptor subtypes. Perhaps most notably, the compound
of formula (I) lacks activity at dopamine receptor subtypes. (See US Patent Application No.
09/800,096). Extensive behavioral pharmacological profiling of this agent, including pre-clinical
models of antipsychotic and anti-dyskinetic drug actions support the therapeutic use of the
compound of formula (I) in Parkinson's Disease and related human neurodegenerative diseases.

Example 3 - Animal studies
[0133] To determine potential in vivo antipsychotic activity, we studied the compound
of formula (I) in an animal model that predicts such efficacy in humans. The compound of formula
(I) attenuates hyperactivity induced by the non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)
antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) with a minimum effective dose of 1 mg/kg s.c. (Figure 2A), and
10 mg/kg p.o. (Figure 2B). The compound of formula (I) also reduced spontaneous locomotion at
3 mg/kg and higher s.c. doses (Figure 2A), and at oral doses between 10 and 100 mg/kg (Figure
2B). In Figure 2A and 2B, asterisks indicate statistical significance (p respective vehicle control. Inhibition of MK-801 is a property shared by most atypical
antipsychotic agents, and after i.p. aolrninistration, the compound of formula (I) attenuated MK-801
hyperactivity at 1 mg/kg, in a manner similar to the atypical antipsychotic clozapine.
Example 4 - Primate animal studies
[0044] To determine the potential in vivo anti-dyskinetic activity, we studied the
compound of formula (I) in an animal model that predicts such efficacy in humans. The use of 1-
methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrilidine (MPTP) to induce parkinsonism in monkeys, coupled
with prolonged administration of L-dopa induces severe dyskinesias. The compound of formula
(I), when administered s.c, to dyskinetic primates was found to significantly diminish L-dopa
induced dyskinesias in a dose dependent manner as determined by the reduction of observable
dyskinetic movements scored as a percentage of those present in placebo injected animals (Figure
3).
Example 5 - 5HT2A/C Serotonin Antagonist Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
10134] The present example demonstrates that blockage of 5HT2A/C receptors with
the compound of formula (I) in parkinsonian patients reduces levodopa-associated dyskinesias and
motor response fluctuations. Additionally, the compound of formula (I) is shown to be safe and
tolerated at effective doses and potentiates the beneficial effects of levodopa on parkinsonian
symptoms.
[0135] The compound of formula (I) is administered orally in a group of 21
parkinsonian patients in a double blind, placebo controlled study lasting approximately 5 weeks.
An unbalanced parallel-group dose escalation design is used involving an initial placebo run-in,
followed by a randomized (active) phase of the compound of formula (I) or placebo. The
compound of formula (I) is administered once daily for four weeks, with the dose escalating once
each week. Assessments are made on the first day of each dose escalation.
[0136] The study is conducted on an outpatient basis. Studies of the compound of
formula (I) effect on the motor response to levodopa are conducted in accordance with the standard
Experimental Therapeutics Branch (ETB) paradigm, which makes use of a steady state infusion of

dopaminomimetics in order to maximize the reliability of data acquisition as well as to permit
determination of the anti-parkinsonian efficacy half-time.
[0137] Patients who participate in the study have particular characteristics. The
patients are between 30 and 80 years of age, inclusively. The patients had been diagnosed with
idiopathic Parkinson's disease based on the presence of a characteristic clinical history and
neurological findings. The patients displayed relatively advanced disease symptoms with
levodopa-associated motor response complications, including peak-dose dyskinesias and wearing-
off fluctuations.
[0138] The sample size is calculated for the primary endpoint: the Unified Parkinson's
Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part HI motor examination. A sample size of 17 provides 80%
power to detect predicted differences, a 40% reduction, with a standardized effect size of 1, using a
two-tailed t-test at the 0.05 significance. This assumes an anti-dyskinetic effect of the compound
of formula (I) to be compared to that of amantadine (as observed in previous ETB studies), and a
linear dose-response of the compound of formula (I). In this phase 2 study we will accept a two-
sided alpha at a 0.05 significance level. Four patients will be added for the placebo group, totaling
21 subjects enrolled in the study.
[0139] Patients enter the levodopa infusion optimal rate determination (dose finding)
portion of the study as soon as all prohibited medication has been withdrawn for at least four
weeks. If the patient has had an intravenous dosing rate for levodopa optimized within the past
three months, these doses may be used for the study.
[0140] Intravenous infusion of levodopa is conducted in an in-patient ward. On the
night prior to all infusions, subjects' usual anti-parkinsonian medications are withheld (levodopa
by 12 AM, dopamine agonists by 6 PM). During the first and second days of optimal rate
determination, two baseline UPDRS ratings are performed prior to levodopa infusion. Initially, the
"optimal" rate of levodopa infusion is carefully titrated for each individual to determine the
minimum dose needed to achieve a stable "on" state characterized by an "optimal" reduction in
parkinsonian signs and mild but ratable dyskinesias (comparable to patient's usual "on" state).
Dyskinesia severity is similar to that experienced with each patient's usual therapeutic regimen.
Levodopa will be administered by means of an indwelling intravenous catheter. The initial
infusion rate of levodopa will not exceed 80 mg/hr. Subsequent infusion rates may be gradually
increased until the optimal rate is found, up to a maximum of 2 mg/kg/hour.
[0141] Levodopa infusions will ordinarily last up to 8 hours, but may be continued
uninterrupted for several days or be repeated on other days to obtain reliable assessment of motor
function. The peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa (50 mg, given every 3 hours) is
administered orally starting at least one hour prior to intravenous administration of levodopa and
continuing until levodopa effects have worn off. After the initial "optimal" rate finding for

levodopa infusion, all subsequent infusions are given at the predetermined "optimal rate". As an
intravenous levodopa formulation is not commercially available in this country, is administered
under ETB IND 22,663.

[0143] Patients proceed through this dose escalation scheme until week 5 or until
maximum tolerated dose is attained.
[0144] Throughout the study, patients are evaluated weekly for drug safety and
tolerability during their inpatient admission and two weeks after treatment for an outpatient follow-
up visit. During each inpatient admission, patients remain under close medical monitoring by staff
physicians and nurses. If, at any time during the treatment period, the staff physician determines
that a patient does not tolerate any given dose, the patient will be considered to have attained
maximum tolerated dose and will not receive any additional doses of the compound of formula (I).
Patients are encouraged to contact study staff between study days to report any adverse
experiences.
[0145] Patients are observed in the hospital and will not be discharged until free of all
significant adverse effects, if any. Safety assessments, which are performed on study days, include
adverse experiences, monitoring vital signs, standard safety monitoring, and cardiac monitoring.
[0146] Subjects in Patient Group II show a reducing in levodopa-associated
dyskinesias and motor response fluctuations. The subjects in Patient Group II tolerate the
compound of formula (I) at all doses administered. The compound of formula (I) therapy also
potentiates the benefical effects of levodopa on parkinsonian symptoms.
Example 6 - R-SAT Assay
[0147] The functional receptor assay Receptor Selection and Amplification
Technology (R-SAT) was used to investigate the activity of the compound of formula (I) as an
inverse agonist at 5HT2A receptors. The compound of formula (I) exhibited high potency (pIC50
of 9.1) and high efficacy (98%) at 5HT2A receptors.
Example 7 - Anti-psvchotic Activity Study
[014S] To determine potential in vivo antipsychotic activity, we studied the compound
of fonnula (I) in an animal model that predicts such efficacy againist positive symptoms in humans
(Figure 4). In Figure 4, ACP refers to the compound of formula (I). The compound of formula (I)
did not reduce hyperactivity induced by 3.0 mg/kg LP. of the indirect dopamine agonist d-

amphetamine when administered alone at doses of 10.0 mg/kg P.O. and below to mice. As
expected, haloperidol dose-dependently reduced amphetamine hyperactivity with a minimally
significant effect seen at 0.1 mg/kg, s.c./ When a 10.0 mg/kg P.O. dose of the compound of formula
(I) was administered in combination with various s.c. doses of haloperidol, the minimally
significant dose of haloperidol was decreased to 0.03 mg/kg. With this combination, amphetamine
hyperactivity is completely reversed. Thus, an inactive dose of the compound of formula (I), when
combined with an inactive dose of haloperidol produces a complete reversal of amphetamine
hyperactivity. This suggests that the antipsychotic activity of haloperidol may be significantly
enhanced when it is combined with the compound of formula (I). Equally important, when the
compound of formula (I) is combined with haloperdiol, the dose of haloperidol can be lowered
without a loss of efficacy.[ This would be expected to improve the safety margin for the clinical use
of haloperidol in neuropsychiatric diseases.

Literature Cited
1. Everett, G., M., and Borcherding, J., W. (1970) L-dopa: effect on
concentration of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin in brains of mice. Nature, 168: 849-850.
2. Butcher, L., Engel, J., and Fuxe, K. (1970) L-dopa induced changes in
central monoamine neurons after peripheral decarboxylase inhibition. J. Pharm. Pharmac, 22:
313-316.
3. NG, K., Y., Chase, T., N., Colburn, R., W., and Kopin, I., J. (1970) L-dopa
induced release of cerebral monoamines. Science, 170: 76-77.
[0152] . Birkmayer, W., Danielczyk, W., Neumayer, E., and Riederer, P. (1974)
Nucleus Ruber and L-dopa Pstchosis: Biochemical Post mortem findings. Journal of Neural
Tratismission, 35: 93-116.
5. Sadzot, B., Baraban, J., M., Glennon, R., A., Lyon, R., A., Leonhardt, S.,
Jan, C, R., and Tietler, M. (1989) Hallucinogenic drug interactions at human brain 5-HT2
receptors; implications for treating LSD-induced hallucinogenesis. Psychopharmacology, 98(4):
495-499.
6. Liechti, M., E., Geyer, M., A., Hell, D., and Vollenwieder, F., X. (2001)
Effects of MDMA(ecstasy) on prepulse inhibition and habituation of startle in humans after
pretreatment with citalopram, haloperidol, or ketanserin., Neuropsychopharmacology, 24(3): 240-
252.
7. Gamma, A., Buck, A., Berthold, T., Liechti, M., E., and Vollenweider, F.,
X. (2000) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) modulates cortical and limbic brain
activity as measured by [H(2)(15)O]-PET in healthy humans., Neuropsychopharmacology, 23(4):
388-395
8. Leysen, J., E., Niemegeers, C, J., Tollenaraere, J., P., and Laduron, P., M.
(1978) Serotonergic component of neuroleptic receptors. Nature (Lond) 272: 168-171.
9. Weiner, D., M., Burstein, E., S., Nash, N., Croston, G., E., Currier, E., A.,
Vanover, K., E., Harvey, S., C, Donohue, E., Hansen, H., C, Andersson, C, M., Spalding, T., A.,
Gibson, D., F., Krebs-Thomson, K„ Powell, S., B.. Geyer, M., A., Hacksell, U., and Brann, M., R.
(2001) 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor inverse agonists as antipsychotics. J Pharmacol Exp
Titer., 299(1): 268-76.
10. Friedman, J., H., and Factor, S., A. (2000) Atypical antipsychotics in the
treatment of drug-induced psychosis in Parkinson's disease. Mov. Disord, 15(2): 201-211.
11. The Parkinson Study Group (1999) Low-dose clozapine for the treatment
of drug-induced psychosis in Parkinson's disease. New Eng. J. Med., 340(10): 757-763.

12. The French Clozapine Study Group (1999) Clozapine in drug-induced
psychosis in Parkinson's disease. Lancet, 353: 2041-2042.
13. Bennett, J., P., Landow, E., R., and Shun, L., A. (1993) Suppression of
dyskinesias in advanced Parkinson's Disease. II Increasing daily clozapine doses suppress
dyskinesias and improve parkinsonism symptoms. Neurology, 43: 1551-1555.
14. Durif, F., Vidailhet, M., Assal, F., Roche, C, Bonnet, A., M., and Agid, Y.
(1997) Low-dose clozapine improves dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease. Neurology, 48: 658-662.
15. Meltzer, H., Y., Kennedy, J., Dai, J., Parsa, M., and Riley, D. (1995)
Plasma clozapine levels and the treatment of L-DOPA-induced psychosis in Parkinson's disease. A
high potency effect of clozapine. Newopsychopliarmacology, 12(1): 39-45.
16. Nordstrom, A., L., Farde, L., and Halldin, C. (1993) High 5-HT2 receptor
occupancy in clozapine treated patients as demonstrated by PET. Psychopharmacology, 110(3):
365-367.
17. Bibbiani, F., Oh, F., D., and Chase, T., C. (2001) Serotonin 5-HT1A
agonist improves motor complications in rodent and primate parkinsonian models. Neurology, 57:
1829-1834.

1. A composition comprising a compound of Formula (I):

and a pharmaceutical^ acceptable carrier.
2. The composition as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional
therapeutic agent.
3. The composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional therapeutic
agent is selected from the group consisting of levodopa (SINEMET™, SINEMET-CR™,
bromocriptine (PARLODEL™), pergolide (PERMAX™), ephenedrine sulfate
(EPHEDRINE™), pemoline CYLERT™), mazindol (SANOREX™), d,1-D-
methylphenethylamine (ADDERALL™), methylphenydate (RITALIN™), pramipexole
(MIRAPEX™), modafinil (PROVIGIL™), and ropinirole (REQUIP™).
4. The composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional therapeutic
agent is an anti-dyskinesia agent.
5. The composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional therapeutic
agent is an anti-dyskinesia agent selected from the group consisting of baclofen
(Lioresal™), botulinum toxin (Botox™), clonazepam (Klonopin™), and diazepam
(Valium™).

6. The composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional therapeutic
agent is an anti-dystonia, anti-myoclonus, or anti-tremor agent selected from the group
consisting of baclofen (LIORESAL™), botulinum toxin (BOTOX™), clonazepam
(KLONOPIN™), and diazepam (VALIUM™).
7. The composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional therapeutic
agent is an anti-psychotic agent with dopaminergic receptor antagonism.
8. The composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional therapeutic
agent is an anti-psychotic agent selected from the group consisting of chlorpromazine
(THORAZINE™), haloperodol (HALDOL™), molindone (MOBAN™), thioridazine
(MELLARIL™), a phenothiazine, a butyrophenome, diphenulbutylpiperinde (pimozide),
thioxanthines (fluphenthixol), substituted benzamides (sulpiride), sertindole,
amisulpride, risperdone, clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, and their
active metabolites (N-desmethylclozapine, N-desmethylolanzapine, 9-OH~risperdone)).
9. A compound having the structure of Formula (I):

10. The compound as claimed in formula (I) for therapy.

11.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an agent that
increases dopaminergic activity for therapy.
12.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an agent that
increases dopaminergic activity for treating a neurodegernative disease.
13.The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein the neurodegenerative
disease is selected from the group consisting Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease,
Alzheimer's disease, Spinocerebellar Atrophy, Tourette's Syndrome, Friedrich's Ataxia,
Machado- Joseph's disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Dystonia, Progressive Supranuclear
Palsy, and Frontotemporal Dementia.
14.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an anti-
dyskinesia agent for therapy.
15. An anti-dyskinesia agent in combination with a compound of formula (I) for
treating dyskinesia associated with dopaminergic therapy.
16.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an anti-dystonia,
anti-myoclonus, or anti-tremor agent for therapy.
17.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an anti-dystonia,
anti-myoclonus, or anti-tremor agent for treating dystonia, myoclonus, or tremor
associated with dopaminergic therapy.
18.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an anti-
psychotic agent for therapy.
19.The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an anti-
psychotic agent for treating psychosis associated with dopaminergic therapy.

20. The compound as claimed in formula (I) in combination with an antipsychotic
agent in the preparation of a medicament for treating a neuropsyhiatric disease.
21.The combination as claimed in claim 20, wherein the neuropsychiatric disease
is selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, mania,
behavioral disturbances associated with dementia and psychotic depression.
22.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for inhibiting an activity of a
monoamine receptor.
23.The compound as claimed in claim 22 wherein the monoamine receptor is a
serotonin receptor.
24.The compound as claimed in claim 22 wherein the serotonin receptor is the
5-HT2A subclass.
25.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for inhibiting an activation of a
monoamine receptor.
26.The compound as claimed in claim 25 wherein the activation is by an
agonistic agent.
27.The compound as claimed in claim 25 wherein the monoamine receptor is a
serotonin receptor.
28.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for treating a disease condition
associated with a monoamine receptor.
29.The compound as claimed in claim 28 wherein the disease condition is
selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, psychosis, migraine, hypertension,
thrombosis, vasospasm, ischemia, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and appetite
disorders.

30.The compound as claimed in claim 28 wherein the monoamine receptor is a
serotonin receptor.
31.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for treating schizophrenia.
32.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for treating migraine.
33.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for treating psychosis.
34.The compound as claimed in formula (I) for identifying a genetic
polymorphism predisposing a subject to being responsive to the compound of formula
(I), wherein administration of the compound to a responsive subject results in
amelioration of a disease condition associated with a monoamine receptor.
35.The compound as claimed in claim 34 wherein the ameliorated disease
condition is associated with the 5-HT class or 5-HT2A subclass of monoaminergic
receptors.

A composition comprising a compound of Formula (I): and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Documents:

01635-kolnp-2005-abstract.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-claims.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-description complete.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-drawings.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-form 1.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-form 2.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-form 3.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-form 5.pdf

01635-kolnp-2005-international publication.pdf

1635-KOLNP-2005-ASSIGNMENT.pdf

1635-KOLNP-2005-FORM 13.pdf

1635-KOLNP-2005-FORM 27-1.1.pdf

1635-KOLNP-2005-FORM 27.pdf

1635-KOLNP-2005-FORM-27.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-abstract.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-assignment.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-claims.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-correspondence.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-description (complete).pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-drawings.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-examination report.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-form 1.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-form 18.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-form 2.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-form 26.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-form 3.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-form 5.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

1635-kolnp-2005-granted-specification.pdf

1635-KOLNP-2005-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

abstract-01635-kolnp-2005.jpg


Patent Number 235410
Indian Patent Application Number 1635/KOLNP/2005
PG Journal Number 27/2009
Publication Date 03-Jul-2009
Grant Date 01-Jul-2009
Date of Filing 16-Aug-2005
Name of Patentee ACADIA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Applicant Address 3911 SORENTO VALLEY BLVD., SAN DIEGO, CA 92121-1402
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 WEINER, DAVID, M. 4915 MUIR AVENUE, SAN DIEGO, CA 92107
2 DAVIS, ROBERT, E. 13272 GLENCLIFF WAY, SAN DIEGO, CA 92130
3 BRANN, MARK, R. 2950 RACETRACK VIEW DRIVE, DEL MAR, CA 92014
PCT International Classification Number A61K
PCT International Application Number PCT/US2004/001234
PCT International Filing date 2004-01-15
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 60/441,406 2003-01-16 U.S.A.
2 60/479,346 2003-06-17 U.S.A.