ATP Secretion Inhibitor Compounds With Lower Side-Effect Burden

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ATP secretion inhibitors like clodronate have low absorption and cause serious side effects such as jaw osteonecrosis, limiting their use in countries like Japan, the United States, and China, necessitating the development of compounds with ATP secretion inhibitory effects and minimal side effects for treating conditions like hepatic fibrosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and psoriasis.

Innovation Solution

The use of imeglimin, metformin, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, or their analogs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts as ATP secretion inhibitors, hepatic stellate cell activation inhibitors, and therapeutic agents for hepatic fibrosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and psoriasis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If clodronate is used as an ATP secretion inhibitor, then ATP secretion is inhibited, but absorption is extremely low and serious side effects occur

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveATP secretion inhibition efficacyVSAvoidside effects and low absorption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical structure of clodronate by replacing the chlorine atom with different substituents (fluorine, hydrogen, methyl, ethyl groups) to create new compounds with improved pharmacokinetic properties. This structural parameter change maintains the ATP secretion inhibition mechanism while reducing side effects and improving absorption, as demonstrated by the novel compounds of formula (1) and (2) that show therapeutic efficacy without the severe adverse reactions associated with clodronate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates analogs of clodronate that copy its core pharmacological activity (ATP secretion inhibition through VNUT blockade) while modifying the molecular structure to improve safety and absorption. The compounds of formula (1) and (2) are structural copies that retain the essential pharmacophore features responsible for VNUT inhibition while eliminating the harmful chlorine atom, thereby achieving the desired therapeutic effect with reduced toxicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If clodronate is used for ATP secretion inhibition, then hepatic fibrosis and NASH are treated, but it accumulates in bone causing jaw osteonecrosis

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehepatic fibrosis and NASH treatment efficacyVSAvoidjaw osteonecrosis from bone accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of clodronate by substituting the chlorine atom with fluorine or hydrocarbon groups, creating compounds that have altered tissue distribution patterns. These structural modifications prevent the compounds from accumulating in bone tissue while maintaining their ability to inhibit ATP secretion in hepatic stellate cells, thereby treating hepatic fibrosis and NASH without causing jaw osteonecrosis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent eliminates the harmful chlorine atom from clodronate's structure, converting a potentially toxic compound into a safer therapeutic agent. By removing the chlorine substituent and replacing it with less harmful groups, the new compounds maintain the beneficial ATP secretion inhibition effect while eliminating the harmful bone accumulation and osteonecrosis side effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If new ATP secretion inhibitors are developed, then side effects are reduced, but absorption and bioavailability must be improved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveside effect reductionVSAvoidabsorption and bioavailability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the pharmacokinetic parameters of the new compounds by modifying lipophilicity and molecular size through strategic substitution of the chlorine atom with fluorine or small hydrocarbon groups. These parameter changes improve membrane permeability and oral bioavailability while maintaining the compounds' ability to reach their target (VNUT) and reduce side effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

These compounds effectively inhibit ATP secretion and hepatic stellate cell activation, providing therapeutic benefits with minimal side effects for treating hepatic fibrosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and psoriasis.

Implementation Method 1

V-ATPase transports H+

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) proton transport:

Implementation Method 2

Loading of ATP into the vesicles involves vesicular nucleotide transporter (VNUT) and vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVesicular nucleotide transporter (VNUT) ATP transport:

Implementation Method 3

secretion of ATP is initiated by loading of the ATP into secretory vesicles, followed by fusion of the secretory vesicles with the cell membrane, resulting in extracellular release of the ATP (exocytosis)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExocytosis:

Data Source

PatentEP4696306A1Adenosine triphosphate secretion inhibitor, hepatic stellate cell activation inhibitor, hepatic stellate cell deactivator, hepatic fibrosis therapeutic agent, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis therapeutic agent, psoriasis therapeutic agent, and use of compound for producing adenosine triphosphate secretion inhibitor, hepatic stellate cell activation inhibitor, hepatic stellate cell deactivator, hepatic fibrosis therapeutic agent, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis therapeutic agent, and psoriasis therapeutic agent
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 KURUME UNIVERSITY
  • EP4696306A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4696306A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4696306A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An adenosine triphosphate secretion inhibitor includes: imeglimin, metformin, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, an analog of phosphoenolpyruvic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.