Discovery of AZD2716: A Novel Secreted Phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) Inhibitor for the Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

Expedited structure-based optimization of the initial fragment hit <b>1</b> led to the design of (<i>R</i>)-<b>7</b> (AZD2716) a novel, potent secreted phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) inhibitor with excellent preclinical pharmacokinetic properties across species, clear <i>in vivo</i> efficacy, and minimized safety risk. Based on accumulated profiling data, (<i>R</i>)-<b>7</b> was selected as a clinical candidate for the treatment of coronary artery disease