Achondroplasia (ACH), the most common form of dwarfism, is an inherited autosomal-dominant chondrodysplasia caused by a gain-of-function mutation in fibroblast-growth-factor-receptor 3 (FGFR3). C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) antagonizes FGFR3 downstream signaling by inhibiting the pathway of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Here, we report the pharmacological activity of a 39 amino acid CNP analog (BMN 111) with an extended plasma half-life due to its resistance to neutral-endopeptidase (NEP) digestion. In ACH human growth-plate chondrocytes, we demonstrated a decrease in the phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, confirming that this CNP analog inhibits fibroblast-growth-factor-mediated MAPK activation. Concomitantly, we analyzed the phenotype of Fgfr3(Y367C/+) mice and showed the presence of ACH-related clinical features in this mouse model. We found that in Fgfr3(Y367C/+) mice, treatment with this CNP analog led to a significant recovery of bone growth. We observed an increase in the axial and appendicular skeleton lengths, and improvements in dwarfism-related clinical features included flattening of the skull, reduced crossbite, straightening of the tibias and femurs, and correction of the growth-plate defect. Thus, our results provide the proof of concept that BMN 111, a NEP-resistant CNP analog, might benefit individuals with ACH and hypochondroplasia.

Activating mutations of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are a major cause of skeletal dysplasias, and thus they are potential targets for pharmaceutical intervention. BMN 111, a C-type natriuretic peptide analog, inhibits FGFR signaling at the level of the RAF1 kinase through natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) and has been shown to lengthen the long bones and improve skull morphology in the Fgfr3Y367C/+ thanatophoric dysplasia mouse model. Here we report the effects of BMN 111 in treating craniosynostosis and aberrant skull morphology in the Fgfr2cC342Y/+ Crouzon syndrome mouse model. We first demonstrated that NPR2 is expressed in the murine coronal suture and spheno-occipital synchondrosis in the newborn period. We then gave Fgfr2cC342Y/+ and Fgfr2c+/+ (WT) mice once-daily injections of either vehicle or reported therapeutic levels of BMN 111 between post-natal days 3 and 31. Changes in skeletal morphology, including suture patency, skull dimensions, and long bone length, were assessed by micro-computed tomography. Although BMN 111 treatment significantly increased long bone growth in both WT and mutant mice, skull dimensions and suture patency generally were not significantly affected. A small but significant increase in the relative length of the anterior cranial base was observed. Our results indicate that the differential effects of BMN 111 in treating various skeletal dysplasias may depend on the process of bone formation targeted (endochondral or intramembranous), the specific FGFR mutated, and/or the specific signaling pathway changes due to a given mutation.

YM155 monobromide is a novel small-molecule survivin suppressant. The pharmacokinetics, distribution and excretion of YM155/[14C]YM155 were investigated using males and pregnant or lactating female rats after a single intravenous bolus administration. For the 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg YM155 doses given to male rats, increases in area under the plasma concentration-time curves were approximately proportional to the increase in the dose level. After administering [14C]YM155, radioactivity concentrations in the kidney and liver were highest among the tissues in both male and pregnant rats: e.g. 14.8- and 5.24-fold, respectively, and higher than in plasma at 0.1 h after dosing to male rats. The YM155 concentrations in the brain were lowest: 25-fold lower than in plasma. The transfer of radioactivity into fetuses was low (about 2-fold lower than in plasma). In lactating rats, the radioactivity was transferred into milk at a level 8- to 21-fold higher than for plasma. Radioactivity was primarily excreted in feces (64.0%) and urine (35.2%). The fecal excretion was considered to have occurred mainly by biliary excretion and partly by secretion across the gastrointestinal membrane from the blood to the lumen.

This paper describes a sensitive and selective liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for determination of the novel survivin suppressant YM155, 1-(2-methoxyethyl)-2-methyl-4,9-dioxo-3-(pyrazin-2-ylmethyl)-4,9-dihydro-1H-naphtho[2,3-d]imidazolium, which is developed for the treatment of solid tumors. This method uses a liquid-liquid extraction from 0.25 mL of dog plasma. LC separation was carried out on a Genesis Silica column (50 mm x 3.0 mm i.d.) at a flow-rate of 0.5 mL/min. Compounds were eluted using a mobile phase of 5 mm ammonium acetate and 0.1% formic acid in water-0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile, 17:83 (v/v). MS/MS detection was carried out with an MDS-Sciex API3000 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in positive electrospray ionization mode. The standard curve was linear from 0.05 to 50 ng/mL (r > or = 0.9968). The lower limit of quantitation was 0.05 ng/mL. Good intra- and inter-day assay precision (within 7.4% RSD) and accuracy (within +/-12.3%) were obtained. The extraction recovery was 66.2%. The method was successfully applied to preclinical pharmacokinetic studies in dogs.

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