Novel plasma kallikrein inhibitors of the benzamidine type

Besides guanidino compounds and amines structurally related to arginine and lysine, compounds with an amidino moiety are inhibitors of trypsin-like enzymes. However, in most cases ordinary benzamidine derivatives are not selective inhibitors. Relatively selective inhibitors of some enzymes were found among amino acids containing a benzamidine moiety at the side chain. For example, derivatives of phenyl-alpha-aminobutyric acid with one or two amidino moieties such as the 4'-amidinoanilide of N alpha-[4-amidinophenylsulfonyl]-phenyl-alpha- aminobutyric acid are potent and selective inhibitors of plasma kallikrein (Ki = 0.15 microM). Using N alpha-arylsulfonylated 3-amidinophenylalanine as the key building block, novel inhibitors of plasma kallikrein were developed. Several esters and amides of the nipecotic acid derivative were synthesized which inhibit plasma kallikrein competitively with Ki values between 0.1 and 1.0 microM. The compounds prolonged aPTT in micromolar concentration, indicating an inhibition of the intrinsic coagulation pathway.