Compounds for treatment of pain

Abstract

The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are directed to novel compounds, specifically, quaternary ammonium derivatives of tertiary amine containing opioid drug compounds such as hydrocodone, hydromorphone and oxycodone, formulations containing said. compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which are capable of providing controlled release of the opioid drug upon administration to a patient in order to treat pain.

Claims

1. A compound of the formula ##STR00017## wherein R.sup.1 is CHR.sup.4O(CO)R.sup.6; R.sup.2 is OH; R.sup.3 is CH.sub.3; R.sup.4 is H; R.sup.5 is alkyl selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl, diethylmethyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, and t-butyl; R.sup.6 is R.sup.5; and A is an anion selected from the group consisting of: Br.sup., Cl.sup., I.sup., R.sup.7CO.sub.2.sup., H.sub.2PO.sub.4.sup., NO.sub.3.sup., Etodolate, Mefenamate, Urosodeoxycholate and R.sup.6SO.sub.3.

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said composition is in tablet, capsule, oral solution, or oral suspension dosage form.

3. The compound ((3R,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl acetate; ((3S,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3l.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl acetate; ethyl (((3R,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3l.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl) carbonate; ethyl (((3S,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3l.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl) carbonate; ((3R,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl pivalate; ((3S,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl pivalate; (3S,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-3-((5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxol-4-yl)methyl)-2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-7(7aH)-one; (3R,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-3-((5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxol-4-yl)methyl)-2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-7(7aH)-one; (3R,4aR,7aR,12bS)-3-((((cyclohexyloxy)carbonyl)oxy)methyl)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-1H-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-ium; cyclohexyl (((3S,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl) carbonate; (3R,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-hydroxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-3-((pivaloyloxy)methyl)-2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-1H-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-ium; ((3S,4aR,7aR,12bS)-9-hydroxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl pivalate; (3R,4aS,7aR,12bS)-4a,9-dihydroxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-3-((pivaloyloxy)methyl)-2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-1H-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-ium; ((3S,4aS,7aR,12bS)-4a,9-dihydroxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl pivalate; (3R,4aS,7aR,12bS)-4a-hydroxy-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-3-((pivaloyloxy)methyl)-2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-1H-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-ium; or ((3S,4aS,7aR,12bS)-4a-hydroxy-9-methoxy-3-methyl-7-oxo-1,2,4,4a,5,6,7,7a-octahydro-3H-3.sup.4-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-3-yl)methyl pivalate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(1) In the reaction schemes and Formulae that follow R.sup.1 through R.sup.9, n, and A are as defined above.

(2) ##STR00015##

(3) ##STR00016##

(4) Compounds of the Formula I may be subcategorized into recognized individual opioid skeletons including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone and hydromorphone as described above. Each of these skeletons is associated with copious synthetic methods well known to those skilled in the art. Thus starting materials of the Formula IV and V are commercially available or can be made by methods well known to those skilled in the art. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 8,183,376, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,628,962, 2,654,756 and 2,649,454 (hydromorphone and others); U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,626 (hydrocodone and others); U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,033 (oxymorphone and others); Freund et al. (1916) J. Prak. Chemie 94:135-178 (oxycodone).

(5) In general the compounds of the disclosed embodiments may be made by processes which include processes analogous to those known in the chemical arts, particularly in light of the description contained herein. The compounds of the disclosed embodiments also have asymmetric nitrogen atoms and exist as two stereoisomers around the quaternary ammonium nitrogen. Other asymmetric carbon atoms exist in these compounds enlarging the number of possible stereoisomers.

(6) Scheme 1 refers to the preparation of compounds of Formula I having the S stereochemistry about the quaternary ammonium nitrogen. Referring to Scheme 1, compounds of Formula IV may be produced by reaction of free base des-methyl opioid of Formula V, such as Norhydromorphone, Noroxymorphone, Noroxycodone, Norhydrocodone, with a halomethyl acetate, carbonate, carbamate, or isoxazolylate, such as chloromethyl acetate, in the presence of a strong base, such as for example, NaH, LDA and KO.sup.tBu.

(7) The alpha methyl acetate, carbonate, carbamate, or isoxazolylate (including derivatives of Formula II or III when using appropriate activated reagents) compound of Formula IV may be reacted with a methylating agent such as methyl iodide in the presence of a base to form the S enantiomeric quaternary ammonium compound of Formula I.

(8) Scheme 2 refers to the preparation of compounds of Formula I having the R stereochemistry about the quaternary ammonium nitrogen. Referring to Scheme 2, free base opioid compounds of Formula IV may be reacted with a halomethyl acetate, carbonate, carbamate, or isoxazolylate, such as chloromethyl acetate, in the presence of a strong base such as for example, NaH, LDA, KO.sup.tBu to form a compound of Formula I.

(9) As an initial note, in the preparation of the Formula I compounds it is noted that some of the preparation methods useful for the preparation of the compounds described herein may require protection of remote functionality (e.g., primary amine, secondary amine, carboxyl in Formula I precursors). The need for such protection will vary depending on the nature of the remote functionality and the conditions of the preparation methods. The need for such protection is readily determined by one skilled in the art. The use of such protection/deprotection methods is also within the skill in the art. For a general description of protecting groups and their use, see T. W. Greene, Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991.

(10) Compounds of Formula I that have chiral centers may exist as stereoisomers, such as racemates, enantiomers, or diastereomers. Conventional techniques for the preparation/isolation of individual enantiomers include chiral synthesis from a suitable optically pure precursor or resolution of the racemate using, for example, chiral high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Alternatively, the racemate (or a racemic precursor) may be reacted with a suitable optically active compound, for example, an alcohol, or, in the case where the compound contains an acidic or basic moiety, an acid or base such as tartaric acid or 1-phenylethylamine. The resulting diastereomeric mixture may be separated by chromatography and/or fractional crystallization and one or both of the diastereoisomers converted to the corresponding pure enantiomer(s) by means well known to one skilled in the art. Chiral compounds of Formula I (and chiral precursors thereof) may be obtained in enantiomerically-enriched form using chromatography, typically HPLC, on an asymmetric resin with a mobile phase consisting of a hydrocarbon, typically heptane or hexane, containing from 0 to 50% isopropanol, typically from 2 to 20%, and from 0 to 5% of an alkylamine, typically 0.1% diethylamine. Concentration of the eluate affords the enriched mixture. Stereoisomeric conglomerates may be separated by conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art. See, e.g. Stereochemistry of Organic Compounds by E. L. Eliel (Wiley, New York, 1994), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

(11) Where a compound of Formula I contains an alkenyl or alkenylene group, geometric cis/trans (or Z/E) isomers are possible. Cis/trans isomers may be separated by conventional techniques well known to those skilled in the art, for example, chromatography and fractional crystallization. Salts of the present disclosure can be prepared according to methods known to those of skill in the art.

(12) Polymorphs can be prepared according to techniques well-known to those skilled in the art.

(13) Cis/trans isomers may be separated by conventional techniques well known to those skilled in the art, for example, chromatography and fractional crystallisation.

(14) Conventional techniques for the preparation/isolation of individual enantiomers include chiral synthesis from a suitable optically pure precursor or resolution of the racemate (or the racemate of a salt or derivative) using, for example, chiral high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).

(15) Chiral compounds of the disclosed embodiments (and chiral precursors thereof) may be obtained in enantiomerically-enriched form using chromatography, typically HPLC, on an asymmetric resin with a mobile phase consisting of a hydrocarbon, typically heptane or hexane, containing from 0 to 50% by volume of isopropanol, typically from 2% to 20%, and from 0 to 5% by volume of an alkylamine, typically 0.1% diethylamine. Concentration of the eluate affords the enriched mixture.

(16) When any racemate crystallises, crystals of two different types are possible. The first type is the racemic compound (true racemate) referred to above wherein one homogeneous form of crystal is produced containing both enantiomers in equimolar amounts. The second type is the racemic mixture or conglomerate wherein two forms of crystal are produced in equimolar amounts each comprising a single enantiomer.

(17) While both of the crystal forms present in a racemic mixture have identical physical properties, they may have different physical properties compared to the true racemate. Racemic mixtures may be separated by conventional techniques known to those skilled in the artsee, for example, Stereochemistry of Organic Compounds by E. L. Eliel and S. H. Wilen (Wiley, 1994).

(18) The aspects of the disclosed embodiments also include isotopically-labeled compounds of Formula I, wherein one or more atoms is replaced by an atom having the same atomic number, but an atomic mass or mass number different from the atomic mass or mass number usually found in nature. Isotopically-labeled compounds of Formula I can generally be prepared by conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art or by processes analogous to those described herein, using an appropriate isotopically-labeled reagent in place of the non-labeled reagent otherwise employed.

(19) Compounds of the disclosed embodiments intended for pharmaceutical use may be administered as crystalline or amorphous products. They may be obtained, for example, as solid plugs, powders, or films by methods such as precipitation, crystallization, freeze drying, spray drying, or evaporative drying. Microwave or radio frequency drying may be used for this purpose.

(20) They may be administered alone or in combination with one or more other compounds of the disclosed embodiments or in combination with one or more other drugs (or as any combination thereof). Generally, they will be administered as a formulation in association with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The term excipient is used herein to describe any ingredient other than the compound(s) of the disclosed embodiments. The choice of excipient will to a large extent depend on factors such as the particular mode of administration, the effect of the excipient on solubility and stability, and the nature of the dosage form.

(21) Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for the delivery of compounds of the disclosed embodiments and methods for their preparation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such compositions and methods for their preparation may be found, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 19th Edition (Mack Publishing Company, 1995).

(22) The compounds of the disclosed embodiments may be administered orally. Oral administration may involve swallowing, so that the compound enters the gastrointestinal tract, and/or buccal, lingual, or sublingual administration by which the compound enters the blood stream directly from the mouth.

(23) Formulations suitable for oral administration include solid, semi-solid and liquid systems such as tablets; soft or hard capsules containing multi- or nano-particulates, liquids, or powders; lozenges (including liquid-filled); chews; gels; fast dispersing dosage forms; films; ovules; sprays; and buccal/mucoadhesive patches.

(24) Liquid formulations include suspensions, solutions, syrups and elixirs. Such formulations may be employed as fillers in soft or hard capsules (made, for example, from gelatin or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) and typically comprise a carrier, for example, water, ethanol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, methylcellulose, or a suitable oil, and one or more emulsifying agents and/or suspending agents. Liquid formulations may also be prepared by the reconstitution of a solid, for example, from a sachet.

(25) The compounds of the disclosed embodiments may also be used in fast-dissolving, fast-disintegrating dosage forms such as those described in Expert Opinion in Therapeutic Patents, 11 (6), 981-986, by Liang and Chen (2001).

(26) For tablet dosage forms, depending on dose, the drug may make up from 1 weight % to 80 weight % of the dosage form, more typically from 5 weight % to 60 weight % of the dosage form. In addition to the drug, tablets generally contain a disintegrant. Examples of disintegrants include sodium starch glycolate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, calcium carboxymethyl cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, polyvinylpyrrolidone, methyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, lower alkyl-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, starch, pregelatinised starch and sodium alginate. Generally, the disintegrant will comprise from 1 weight % to 25 weight %, preferably from 5 weight % to 20 weight % of the dosage form.

(27) Binders are generally used to impart cohesive qualities to a tablet formulation. Suitable binders include microcrystalline cellulose, gelatin, sugars, polyethylene glycol, natural and synthetic gums, polyvinylpyrrolidone, pregelatinised starch, hydroxypropyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Tablets may also contain diluents, such as lactose (monohydrate, spray-dried monohydrate, anhydrous and the like), mannitol, xylitol, dextrose, sucrose, sorbitol, microcrystalline cellulose, starch and dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate.

(28) Tablets may also optionally comprise surface active agents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate and polysorbate 80, and glidants such as silicon dioxide and talc. When present, surface active agents may comprise from 0.2 weight % to 5 weight % of the tablet, and glidants may comprise from 0.2 weight % to 1 weight % of the tablet.

(29) Tablets also generally contain lubricants such as magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, sodium stearyl fumarate, and mixtures of magnesium stearate with sodium lauryl sulphate. Lubricants generally comprise from 0.25 weight % to 10 weight %, preferably from 0.5 weight % to 3 weight % of the tablet.

(30) Other possible ingredients include anti-oxidants, colourants, flavouring agents, preservatives and taste-masking agents.

(31) Exemplary tablets contain up to about 80% drug, from about 10 weight % to about 90 weight % binder, from about 0 weight % to about 85 weight % diluent, from about 2 weight % to about 10 weight % disintegrant, and from about 0.25 weight % to about 10 weight % lubricant.

(32) Tablet blends may be compressed directly or by roller to form tablets. Tablet blends or portions of blends may alternatively be wet-, dry-, or melt-granulated, melt congealed, or extruded before tabletting. The final formulation may comprise one or more layers and may be coated or uncoated; it may even be encapsulated.

(33) The formulation of tablets is discussed in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Tablets, Vol. 1, by H. Lieberman and L. Lachman (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1980).

(34) Consumable oral films for human or veterinary use are typically pliable water-soluble or water-swellable thin film dosage forms which may be rapidly dissolving or mucoadhesive and typically comprise a compound of formula I, a film-forming polymer, a binder, a solvent, a humectant, a plasticiser, a stabiliser or emulsifier, a viscosity-modifying agent and a solvent. Some components of the formulation may perform more than one function.

(35) The compound of formula I may be water-soluble or insoluble. A water-soluble compound typically comprises from 1 weight % to 80 weight %, more typically from 20 weight % to 50 weight %, of the solutes. Less soluble compounds may comprise a greater proportion of the composition, typically up to 88 weight % of the solutes. Alternatively, the compound of formula I may be in the form of multiparticulate beads.

(36) The film-forming polymer may be selected from natural polysaccharides, proteins, or synthetic hydrocolloids and is typically present in the range 0.01 to 99 weight %, more typically in the range 30 to 80 weight %.

(37) Other possible ingredients include anti-oxidants, colorants, flavourings and flavour enhancers, preservatives, salivary stimulating agents, cooling agents, co-solvents (including oils), emollients, bulking agents, anti-foaming agents, surfactants and taste-masking agents.

(38) Films in accordance with the disclosed embodiments are typically prepared by evaporative drying of thin aqueous films coated onto a peelable backing support or paper. This may be done in a drying oven or tunnel, typically a combined coater dryer, or by freeze-drying or vacuuming.

(39) Solid formulations for oral administration may be formulated to be immediate and/or modified release. Modified release formulations including delayed-, sustained-, pulsed-, controlled-, targeted and programmed release are of particular interest. Suitable modified release formulations for the purposes of the disclosed embodiments are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,864. Details of other suitable release technologies such as high energy dispersions and osmotic and coated particles are to be found in Pharmaceutical Technology On-line, 25(2), 1-14, by Verma et al (2001). The use of chewing gum to achieve controlled release is described in WO 00/35298.

(40) The compounds of the disclosed embodiments may also be administered directly into the blood stream, into muscle, or into an internal organ. Suitable means for parenteral administration include intravenous, intraarterial, intraperitoneal, intrathecal, intraventricular, intraurethral, intrasternal, intracranial, intramuscular, intrasynovial and subcutaneous. Suitable devices for parenteral administration include needle (including microneedle) injectors, needle-free injectors and infusion techniques.

(41) Capsules (made, for example, from gelatin or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose), blisters and cartridges for use in an inhaler or insufflator may be formulated to contain a powder mix of the compound of the disclosed embodiments, a suitable powder base such as lactose or starch and a performance modifier such as 1-leucine, mannitol, or magnesium stearate. The lactose may be anhydrous or in the form of the monohydrate, preferably the latter. Other suitable excipients include dextran, glucose, maltose, sorbitol, xylitol, fructose, sucrose and trehalose.

(42) The compounds of the disclosed embodiments can also be formulated as Drug-cyclodextrin complexes. Both inclusion and non-inclusion complexes may be used. As an alternative to direct complexation with the drug, the cyclodextrin may be used as an auxiliary additive, i.e. as a carrier, diluent, or solubiliser. Most commonly used for these purposes are alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins, examples of which may be found in International Patent Applications Nos. WO 91/11172, WO 94/02518 and WO 98/55148.

(43) Since the aspects of the disclosed embodiments may relate to the treatment of the disease/conditions described herein with a combination of active ingredients which may be administered separately, they also relate to combining separate pharmaceutical compositions in kit form. The kit comprises two separate pharmaceutical compositions: a compound of Formula I or a salt of such compound and a second compound as described above. The kit comprises means for containing the separate compositions such as a container, a divided bottle or a divided foil packet. Typically the kit comprises directions for the administration of the separate components.

(44) An example of such a kit is a so-called blister pack. Blister packs are well known in the packaging industry and are being widely used for the packaging of pharmaceutical unit dosage forms (tablets, capsules, and the like). Blister packs generally consist of a sheet of relatively stiff material covered with a foil of a preferably transparent plastic material. During the packaging process recesses are formed in the plastic foil. The recesses have the size and shape of the tablets or capsules to be packed. Next, the tablets or capsules are placed in the recesses and the sheet of relatively stiff material is sealed against the plastic foil at the face of the foil which is opposite from the direction in which the recesses were formed. As a result, the tablets or capsules are sealed in the recesses between the plastic foil and the sheet. Preferably the strength of the sheet is such that the tablets or capsules can be removed from the blister pack by manually applying pressure on the recesses whereby an opening is formed in the sheet at the place of the recess. The tablet or capsule can then be removed via said opening.

(45) Summary of Pharmacokinetic Parameters for Compounds of Formula I

(46) Binding to Opioid Receptors (Binding Assay)

(47) Membrane preparations (from either rodent brain or from cells transfected with plasmids engineered to express an opioid receptor) are rapidly thawed and diluted in binding buffer (50 mM HEPES, 5 mM MgCl2, 1 mM CaCl2, 0.2% BSA, pH 7.4) to a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. The radioligand and unlabeled compounds are diluted in binding buffer to achieve the desired final concentration in each well. The assays are performed in microtiter plates using 40 ul of binding buffer or unlabeled ligand, 10 ul of radioligand (final concentration of (3H)-DAMGO=2 nM), and 50 ul of diluted membranes with three wells per group. The plates are then incubated at room temperature for two hours. Unlabeled test compounds are added at one third-log increments with 5 log separation between highest and lowest concentrations. The binding incubation is terminated by the addition of 100 ul cold binding buffer to each well. The glass fiber filter plates are presoaked for 30-45 min with 0.33% polyethylenimine (PE)I buffer. The PEI solution is removed from the filter plate with a vacuum manifold (Millipore) and the filters washed with 200 ul priming buffer (50 mM HEPES, 0.5% BSA, pH 7.4) per well. The binding reaction is transferred to the filter plate and washed with 200 ul washing buffer (50 mM HEPES with 500 mM NaCl and 0.1% BSA, pH 7.4). The plate is dried and the filters removed using a cell harvester and punch assembly (MultiScreen HTS, Millipore) for analysis in a scintillation counter (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, Calif.). For the competitive binding experiments with test compounds, the Ki value was calculated from the IC50 value by GraphPad Prism, using the equation of Cheng and Prusoff (1973).

(48) Activation of Opioid Receptors (Functional Assay)

(49) Opioid receptors belong to the seven transmembrane superfamily of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein-(G protein) coupled receptors, and are linked to the adenylyl cyclase-inhibitory G proteins Gi and Go (Carter and Medzihradsky, 1993). Thus a variety of in vitro assays may be used to establish agonist or antagonist properties of novel opioid receptor ligands, including GTP binding (using the non-hydrolyzable GTP analog GTPS) and inhibition of cAMP accumulation.

(50) The binding of the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog [.sup.35S]GTPS is often used to provide a measure of G protein activation by agonists (e.g., Lorenzen et al., 1993; Tian et al., 1994). Because G-protein activation is the first biochemical step after opioid receptor activation and is not limited by downstream effector systems, this assay provides a very direct measurement of efficacy, and the utility of this assay for determining the relative efficacies of mu opioid agonists in vitro has been demonstrated (Traynor and Nahorski 1995; Emmerson et al, 1996). The correlation between the intrinsic activity of a drug in this assay and its efficacy in vivo makes it an appropriate system for measuring the relative efficacies of opioid receptor agonists.

(51) Cell culture. C6(m) rat glioma cells (which lack endogenous opioid receptors) which had been stably transfected with an opioid receptor-expressing plasmid (Emmerson et al., 1996) are grown under 5% CO2 in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. Stock flasks are maintained in the presence of 1 mg/ml Geneticin to select for the presence of the transfected plasmid, which codes for both the opioid receptor and antibiotic resistance. Cells used for experiments are split from the stock flasks and grown to confluence in the absence of Geneticin.

(52) Membrane preparation. Cells are rinsed twice with ice-cold phosphate-buffered saline (0.9% NaCl, 0.61 mM Na2HPO4, 0.38 mM KH2PO4, pH 7.4) and detached from dishes by incubation with lifting buffer (5.6 mM glucose, 5 mM KCl, 5 mM HEPES, 137 mM NaCl, 1 mM EGTA, pH 7.4). The cells are then pelleted by centrifugation, resuspended in ice-cold lysis buffer (0.2 mM MgSO4, 0.38 mM KH2PO4, 0.61 mM Na2HPO4, pH 7.4) and homogenized using a glass-glass Dounce homogenizer. Membranes are then isolated by centrifugation for 20 min at 20,000g at 4 C. The resulting membrane pellets are resuspended in 50 mM Tris buffer (pH 7.4) and stored at 80 C. in 1-ml aliquots (approximately 1 mg protein/ml).

(53) Protein determination. Protein concentration in membrane samples is determined by the method of Lowry et al. (1951), using bovine serum albumin as a standard. Samples are solubilized by incubation at room temperature in 0.5N NaOH for 30 min before protein determination.

(54) [35S]GTPS binding assay. Varying concentrations of ligand are preincubated with membranes (15 mg membrane protein/tube) for 2 hr at 25 C. in binding cocktail [30 mM GDP, 1 mM dithiothreitol, I mM EDTA, 5 mM MgCl2, 100 mM NaCl and 47 mM Tris (pH 7.4)] in a 200 ml final assay volume. Experiments are initiated by the addition of [35S]GTPS (final concentration 40 pM), which is added in a volume of 10 ul H.sub.2O, to minimize any dilution of ligand and other reagents. After 1 min the reaction is terminated by the addition of 2 ml ice-cold washing buffer (50 mM Tris, 5 mM MgCl2, 100 mM NaCl) and the contents of the tubes are rapidly filtered through glass fiber filters (Schleicher & Schuell no. 32, Keene, N.H.). The tubes and filters are then rinsed with 2 ml washing buffer an additional three times. Filters are placed in scintillation vials containing 400 ml ethanol and 4-ml scintillation cocktail for liquid scintillation counting. Nonspecific counts are determined from tubes which contained 100 nM unlabeled GTPS.

(55) Inhibition of cAMP Accumulation. In this assay, cells expressing opioid receptors (either endogenous or recombinant) are first treated with agents which elevate intracellular cAMP (eg, PGE1 or forskolin) after which test compounds are added to the culture medium and intracellular cAMP is measured by radioimmunoassay or ELISA (Yu et al, 1990, Blake, 1997). Specifically, cell monolayers are treated for approximately 30 min at 37 C. with culture medium containing 0.5 mM isobutylmethylxanthine. After treatment, the medium is replaced with medium containing test compound at several different concentrations (eg, 10-11 to 10-6 M) and incubated at 37 C. for 5 min. The medium is then aspirated, and 1 ml of 0.1N HCl was added; the cells are sonicated and the monolayers were frozen at 20 C. For determination of the cAMP content of each well, the monolayers are thawed, placed on ice, sonicated, and the intracellular cAMP levels measured by radioimmunoassay (Amersham plc, Buckinghamshire, UK). Data obtained from the dose-response curves is then analyzed by nonlinear regression (using GraphPad Prism 2.01 from GraphPad Software, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) to calculate agonist potency.

(56) In Vivo Measurement of Analgesic Activity and Opioid Side Effects

(57) Determination of analgesic activity is well known to those skilled in the art. Several methods recognized as characterizing activity are listed below.

(58) Tail Flick Test.

(59) The method, which detects analgesic activity, follows that described by D'Amour and Smith (1941). Briefly, a mouse's tail is heated by means of a thermal light source or by immersion in hot water. The latency before the animal withdraws its tail is measured (with a maximum time of exposure to heat of 15 seconds). Opioids are well known to significantly increase the latency to tail withdrawal in this assay. In this assay the parent opioid is used as the reference substance (eg, hydrocodone, oxycodone etc), and the dose and pretreatment time for a test agent (eg, a quaternary ammonium derivative) is dependent on the route of administration of the test agent (could be oral, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal or intrathecal).

(60) Formalin Test

(61) As described by Shibata et al (1989), 25 ul of 0.5% sterile formalin was administered into the right hind paw of a mouse, which elicits a characteristic, biphasic behavioral response. Each animal was then returned to the chamber and pain response was recorded for a period of 30 min. The summation of time (in seconds) spent licking and biting the injected paw during each 5 minute block was measured as an indicator of pain response. Test agents are administered at various times and doses prior to formalin injection via oral, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal or intrathecal routes. In this assay, the parent opioid is used as the reference substance (eg, hydrocodone, oxycodone etc), and the dose and pretreatment time for a test agent (eg, a quaternary ammonium derivative of the parent opioid) to exert analgesic activity is calculated relative to the parent opioid.

(62) An important side effect of chronic opioid use is constipation. The method below describes how a compound of the disclosed embodiments can be demonstrated to exhibit reduced activity on gastrointestinal motility relative to the parent opioid.

(63) Gastrointestinal (GI) Transit.

(64) For measurements of GI transit (Green, 1959), rats were fed by oral gavage with 2 ml of a test meal consisting of 10% vegetable charcoal in water. Five minutes afterwards animals were euthanized, their small intestine was removed, its length was measured (from the pyloric sphincter to the ileocecal junction) and the distance traveled by the test meal was recorded as a percentage of the total length (percentage of GI transit). The effect of test agents (eg, quaternary ammonium derivative of parent opioid) on GI motility is measured relative to the parent opioid as a reference, with either substance being administered at various times prior to oral gavage with the charcoal meal.

(65) All publications, including but not limited to, issued patents, patent applications, and journal articles, cited in this application are each herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

(66) Although the invention has been described above with reference to the disclosed embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the specific experiments detailed below are only illustrative of the invention. It should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the claims.

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