Bicyclams, in which the cyclam (1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) moieties are tethered via an aliphatic bridge (i.e., propylene, as in JM2763) are potent and selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) (E. De Clercq, N. Yamamoto, R. Pauwels, M. Baba, D. Schols, H. Nakashima, J. Balzarini, Z. Debyser, B. A. Murrer, D. Schwartz, D. Thornton, G. Bridger, S. Fricker, G. Henson, M. Abrams, and D. Picker, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:5286-5290, 1992). We have now found that the bicyclam JM3100, in which the cyclam moieties are tethered by an aromatic bridge [i.e., phenylenebis(methylene)], inhibits the replication of various HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains in various cell lines at a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 1 to 10 ng/ml, which is about 100-fold lower than the concentration required for JM2763 to inhibit HIV replication and at least 100,000-fold lower than the cytotoxic concentration (> 500 micrograms/ml). In primary T4 lymphocytes or primary monocytes, JM3100 proved inhibitory to HIV-1(IIIB) and several clinical HIV-1 isolates at an EC50 of less than 1 ng/ml. On the basis of time-of-addition experiments, JM3100 appeared to interact with a viral uncoating event, and this was further corroborated by an uncoating assay in which RNase sensitivity of [5-3H]uridine-labeled virions was monitored. In addition, but possibly mechanistically related, JM3100 blocks formation of infectious particles. JM3100 was also found to interfere directly with virus-induced syncytium formation, albeit at a higher concentration (1 to 2 microgram/ml) than that required for inhibition of viral replication. Following subcutaneous injection of 10 mg of JM3100 per kg of body weight to rabbits, anti-HIV activity was detected in serum corresponding to serum drug levels exceeding for at least 6 h by >100-fold the EC(50) required to inhibit HIV replication in vitro. When combined with either 3'-azido-2',3' -dideoxythymidine or 2',3' -dideoxyinosine, JM3100 achieved a additive inhibition of HIV replication, and when repeatedly subcultivated in the presence of JM3100, the virus remained sensitive to the compound for at least 30 passages (120 days) in cell culture.

A series of bicyclams have been shown to be potent and selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The compounds are inhibitory to the replication of various HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains in various human T-cell systems, including peripheral blood lymphocytes, at 0.14-1.4 microM, without being toxic to the host cells at 2.2 mM. The bicyclam JM2763 is active against 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine; AZT)-resistant HIV-1 strains and acts additively with AZT. Mechanism of action studies revealed that the bicyclams (i.e., JM2763) interact with an early event of the retrovirus replicative cycle, which could be tentatively identified as a viral uncoating event.

We have previously described the potent and selective inhibition of several strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) by JM2763, an n-propyl-linked dimer of the 1,4,8,11-tetraazamacrocyclic (cyclam) ring system. Upon further investigation, we have also found that incorporating an aromatic rather than aliphatic linker leads to analogs with higher antiviral potency. The prototype, JM3100 (19a, isolated as the octahydrochloride salt), which contains a p-phenylenebis(methylene) moiety linking the cyclam rings, inhibited the replication of HIV-1 (IIIB) and HIV-2 (ROD) at EC50's of 4.2 and 5.9 nM, respectively, while remaining nontoxic to MT-4 cells at concentrations exceeding 421 microM. In order to identify the structural features of bis-tetraazamacrocycles required for potent activity, we have prepared a novel series of phenylenebis(methylene)-linked analogs, in which the macrocyclic ring size was varied from 12 to 16 ring members. Depending upon the substitution of the phenylenebis(methylene) linker (para or meta), sub-micromolar anti-HIV activity was exhibited by analogs bearing macrocycles of 12-14 ring members but with varying cytotoxicity to MT-4 cells. Furthermore, while we found that identical macrocyclic rings are not required for activity, substituting an acyclic polyamine equivalent for one of the cyclam rings in 19a resulted in a substantial reduction in anti-HIV potency, clearly establishing the importance of the constrained macrocyclic structure. A short series of transition metal complexes of 19a were also prepared and evaluated. Complexes of low kinetic stability such as the bis-zinc complex retained activity comparable to that of the parent compound. Finally, the activity of bicyclam analogs appears to be insensitive to the electron-withdrawing or -donating properties of substituents introduced onto the linker, but sterically hindering groups such as phenyl markedly reduced activity. As a result, several analogs with anti-HIV potency comparable to that of 19a have been identified.