Transmembrane protein 16A (TMEM16A), also called anoctamin 1 (ANO1), is a calcium-activated chloride channel expressed widely mammalian cells, including epithelia, vascular smooth muscle tissue, electrically excitable cells and some tumors. TMEM16A inhibitors have been proposed for treatment of disorders of epithelial fluid and mucus secretion, hypertension, asthma, and possibly cancer. Herein we report by screening the discovery of 2-acylamino-cycloalkylthiophene-3-carboxylic acid arylamides (AACTs) as inhibitors of TMEM16A, and analysis of 48 synthesized analogs (10ab–10bw) of the original AACT compound (10aa). Structure-activity studies indicated the importance of benzene substituted as 2- or 4-methyl, or 4-fluoro, and defined the significance of thiophene substituents and size of the cycloalkylthiophene core. The most potent compound (10bm), which contains an unusual bromodifluoroacetamide at the thiophene 2-position, had IC50 ~ 30 nM, ~3.6-fold more potent than the most potent previously reported TMEM16A inhibitor 4 (Ani9), and >10-fold metabolic stability. Direct and reversible inhibition of TMEM16A by 10bm was demonstrated by patch-clamp analysis. AACTs may be useful as pharmacological tools to study TMEM16A function and as potential drug development candidates.

Transmembrane protein 16A (TMEM16A), also called Ano1, is a Ca2+ activated Cl− channel expressed widely in mammalian epithelia, as well as in vascular smooth muscle and some tumors and electrically excitable cells. TMEM16A inhibitors have potential utility for treatment of disorders of epithelial fluid and mucus secretion, hypertension, some cancers and other diseases. 4-Aryl-2-amino thiazole T16Ainh-01 was previously identified by high-throughput screening. Here, a library of 47 compounds were prepared that explored the 5,6-disubstituted pyrimidine scaffold found in T16Ainh-01. TMEM16A inhibition activity was measured using fluorescence plate reader and short-circuit current assays. We found that very little structural variation of T16Ainh-01 was tolerated, with most compounds showing no activity at 10 µM. The most potent compound in the series, 9bo, which substitutes 4-methoxyphenyl in T16Ainh-01 with 2-thiophene, had IC50 ~1 µM for inhibition of TMEM16A chloride conductance.