Biomaterial Database

Investigational p38 inhibitors for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 2015

Peter Norman

Norman Consulting , 18 Pink Lane, Burnham, Bucks, SL1 8JW , UK peter.norman2@btinternet.com.

BACKGROUND The p38 protein kinases, in particular p38α and p38β, regulate the production of multiple inflammatory mediators. Consequentially, considerable effort has been focused on trying to develop p38 inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Some 20 p38 inhibitors have progressed to clinical development, mostly for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but with little success. Increasingly, interest has turned to their use in other indications and notably chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS In this review, the author discusses the eight p38 inhibitors that have been clinically evaluated. Acumapimod is the only one of four orally delivered inhibitors that remains in active development while Phase II results of PH-797804 and losmapimod are compared. The activity of two inhibitors designed for inhaled delivery, RV-568 and PF-03715455, is compared but little is known about AZD-7624 or the discontinued GSK-610677. CONCLUSIONS Results from animal models provide a clear rationale for developing p38 inhibitors for COPD, and appear to be (partially) validated by the efficacy seen with PH-797804 and losmapimod. Inhaled delivery provides the opportunity to enhance p38 inhibition in the lung while reducing unwanted systemic effects of p38 inhibition. Validation of this hypothesis should come from the results of the recently completed Phase II study with RV-568.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015195	Drug Design	The molecular designing of drugs for specific purposes (such as DNA-binding, enzyme inhibition, anti-cancer efficacy, etc.) based on knowledge of molecular properties such as activity of functional groups, molecular geometry, and electronic structure, and also on information cataloged on analogous molecules. Drug design is generally computer-assisted molecular modeling and does not include PHARMACOKINETICS, dosage analysis, or drug administration analysis.	Computer-Aided Drug Design,Computerized Drug Design,Drug Modeling,Pharmaceutical Design,Computer Aided Drug Design,Computer-Aided Drug Designs,Computerized Drug Designs,Design, Pharmaceutical,Drug Design, Computer-Aided,Drug Design, Computerized,Drug Designs,Drug Modelings,Pharmaceutical Designs
D016503	Drug Delivery Systems	Systems for the delivery of drugs to target sites of pharmacological actions. Technologies employed include those concerning drug preparation, route of administration, site targeting, metabolism, and toxicity.	Drug Targeting,Delivery System, Drug,Delivery Systems, Drug,Drug Delivery System,Drug Targetings,System, Drug Delivery,Systems, Drug Delivery,Targeting, Drug,Targetings, Drug
D047428	Protein Kinase Inhibitors	Agents that inhibit PROTEIN KINASES.	Protein Kinase Inhibitor,Inhibitor, Protein Kinase,Inhibitors, Protein Kinase,Kinase Inhibitor, Protein,Kinase Inhibitors, Protein
D048051	p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases	A mitogen-activated protein kinase subfamily that regulates a variety of cellular processes including CELL GROWTH PROCESSES; CELL DIFFERENTIATION; APOPTOSIS; and cellular responses to INFLAMMATION. The P38 MAP kinases are regulated by CYTOKINE RECEPTORS and can be activated in response to bacterial pathogens.	Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase p38,p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase,p38 MAP Kinase,p38 MAPK,p38 Protein Kinase,p38 SAPK,MAP Kinase, p38,MAPK, p38,Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase p38,Protein Kinase, p38,p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase,p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases
D029424	Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive	A disease of chronic diffuse irreversible airflow obstruction. Subcategories of COPD include CHRONIC BRONCHITIS and PULMONARY EMPHYSEMA.	Airflow Obstruction, Chronic,COAD,COPD,Chronic Airflow Obstruction,Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease,Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease,Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases,Airflow Obstructions, Chronic,Chronic Airflow Obstructions