Synthesis and in Silico Evaluation of Novel Compounds for PET-Based Investigations of the Norepinephrine Transporter

Since the norepinephrine transporter (NET) is involved in a variety of diseases, the investigation of underlying dysregulation-mechanisms of the norepinephrine (NE) system is of major interest. Based on the previously described highly potent and selective NET ligand 1-(3-(methylamino)-1-phenylpropyl)-3-phenyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidaz- ol- 2-one (Me@APPI), this paper aims at the development of several fluorinated methylaminebased analogs of this compound. The newly synthesized compounds were computationally evaluated for their interactions with the monoamine transporters and represent reference compounds for PET-based investigation of the NET

Pharmacy Practice and Education in Austria

The PHARMINE (“Pharmacy Education in Europe”) project studied pharmacy practice and education in the European Union (EU) member states. The work was carried out using an electronic survey sent to chosen pharmacy representatives. The surveys of the individual member states are now being published as reference documents for students and staff interested in research on pharmacy education in the EU and in mobility. This paper presents the results of the PHARMINE survey on pharmacy practice and education in Austria. In the light of this, we examine the harmonisation of practice and education in Austria with EU norms.© 2018 by the author

A One-Step Microwave-Assisted Synthetic Method for an O/S-Chemoselective Route to Derivatives of the First Adenosine A3 PET Radiotracer

The synthesis of reference standards and expected in vivo metabolites of the first adenosine A3 PET radiotracer [18F]FE@SUPPY ([18F]fluoroethyl 4,6-diethyl-5-[(ethyl-sulfanyl)carbonyl]-2-phenylpyridine-3-carboxylate) was achieved by using a straightforward microwave assisted alkylation method, which allowed O/S-chemoselective alkylation of the starting material 1 to give each target compound 2–8 in a single step

In vivo evaluation of radiotracers targeting the melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1: [11C]SNAP-7941 and [18F]FE@SNAP reveal specific uptake in the ventricular system

The MCHR1 is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis and changes of the expression are linked to a variety of associated diseases, such as diabetes and adiposity. The study aimed at the in vitro and in vivo evaluation of [11C]SNAP-7941 and [18F]FE@SNAP as potential PET-tracers for the MCHR1. Competitive binding studies with non-radioactive derivatives and small-animal PET/CT and MRI brain studies were performed under baseline conditions and tracer displacement with the unlabelled MCHR1 antagonist (±)-SNAP-7941. Binding studies evinced high binding affinity of the non-radioactive derivatives. Small-animal imaging of [11C]SNAP-7941 and [18F]FE@SNAP evinced high tracer uptake in MCHR1-rich regions of the ventricular system. Quantitative analysis depicted a significant tracer reduction after displacement with (±)-SNAP-7941. Due to the high binding affinity of the non-labelled derivatives and the high specific tracer uptake of [11C]SNAP-7941 and [18F]FE@SNAP, there is strong evidence that both radiotracers may serve as highly suitable agents for specific MCHR1 imaging.© The Author(s) 201

New approaches for the reliable in vitro assessment of binding affinity based on high-resolution real-time data acquisition of radioligand-receptor binding kinetics

Background: Resolving the kinetic mechanisms of biomolecular interactions have become increasingly important in early-phase drug development. Since traditional in vitro methods belong to dose-dependent assessments, binding kinetics is usually overlooked. The present study aimed at the establishment of two novel experimental approaches for the assessment of binding affinity of both, radiolabelled and non-labelled compounds targeting the A3R, based on high-resolution real-time data acquisition of radioligand-receptor binding kinetics. A novel time-resolved competition assay was developed and applied to determine the Ki of eight different A3R antagonists, using CHO-K1 cells stably expressing the hA3R. In addition, a new kinetic real-time cell-binding approach was established to quantify the rate constants k on and k off, as well as the dedicated K d of the A3R agonist [125I]-AB-MECA. Furthermore, lipophilicity measurements were conducted to control influences due to physicochemical properties of the used compounds. Results: Two novel real-time cell-binding approaches were successfully developed and established. Both experimental procedures were found to visualize the kinetic binding characteristics with high spatial and temporal resolution, resulting in reliable affinity values, which are in good agreement with values previously reported with traditional methods. Taking into account the lipophilicity of the A3R antagonists, no influences on the experimental performance and the resulting affinity were investigated. Conclusions: Both kinetic binding approaches comprise tracer administration and subsequent binding to living cells, expressing the dedicated target protein. Therefore, the experiments resemble better the true in vivo physiological conditions and provide important markers of cellular feedback and biological response.© The Author(s). 201