Boron Cluster Compounds for Selective Sodium Channel Blockade

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sodium channel blockers lack selectivity and efficacy, leading to undesirable side effects and reduced therapeutic effectiveness due to non-specific interactions with nerve and cardiac cell conduction pathways.

Innovation Solution

Development of novel boron cluster compounds, specifically lidocaine analogs with boron clusters replacing aromatic rings, which exhibit reduced pi-pi interactions and tunable properties, enhancing selectivity and metabolic stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional sodium channel blockers are used, then they can block sodium channels, but they lack selectivity and cause side effects

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveselectivityVSAvoidside effects
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical structure parameter by replacing the aromatic ring with a boron cluster, which fundamentally alters the interaction mechanism with sodium channels. This structural parameter change enables selective binding to specific sodium channel subtypes while reducing non-specific interactions that cause side effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite molecular structure combining the boron cluster core with lidocaine-like functional groups. This composite approach integrates the selectivity advantages of boron clusters with the pharmacological activity of local anesthetics, achieving both specificity and therapeutic effect

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of moving object

If traditional sodium channel blockers are used, then they provide therapeutic action, but they have reduced duration of action

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveduration of actionVSAvoidtherapeutic effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The boron cluster structure changes the metabolic stability parameter of the molecule. The unique bonding characteristics and electronic structure of boron clusters resist enzymatic degradation, thereby extending the duration of action while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If aromatic rings are used in lidocaine analogs, then they provide basic structure, but they exhibit excessive pi-pi interactions reducing selectivity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveselectivityVSAvoidnon-specific interactions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the aromatic ring component from the traditional lidocaine structure and replaces it with a boron cluster. This removal of the aromatic moiety eliminates the source of excessive pi-pi interactions while retaining the essential pharmacophoric elements needed for sodium channel blocking activity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention substitutes the pi-pi interaction mechanism (characteristic of aromatic rings) with a different binding mechanism based on boron cluster interactions. This substitution changes the nature of molecular recognition, providing more selective and controllable binding to sodium channels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10202406B2Boron cluster compounds and uses thereof
Publication Date: 2019.02.12 THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
  • US10202406B2 patent drawing
  • US10202406B2 patent drawing
  • US10202406B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to novel cluster boron compounds and their use as sodium channel blockers. The invention also provides methods for making and using the compounds.