4-(Phenylsulfonamidomethyl)benzamides as potent and selective inhibitors of the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 with efficacy in diabetic ob/ob mice.

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2009 May 15; Zhang X, Zhou Z, Yang H, Chen J, Feng Y, Du L, Leng Y, Shen JSelective inhibitors of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) have considerable potential as treatments for type 2 diabetes. Presented herein are the syntheses, structure-activity relationships, and efficacy evaluation of 4-(phenylsulfonamidomethyl)benzamides as 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors. Through modification of our initial lead 5, we have identified potent and selective 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors, such as 11n, which demonstrated improved glycemic control, decreased serum lipids, and enhanced insulin sensitivity when dosed ip in diabetic ob/ob mice.