US Patent:
20080045499, Feb 21, 2008
Inventors:
Byron Zhao - Sugar Land TX, US
Mei Yu - San Francisco CA, US
Guriqbal Basi - Palo Alto CA, US
International Classification:
A61K 31/18
A61K 31/55
A61P 25/28
C07C 311/16
C07D 223/10
C07D 401/12
C07K 14/00
C07K 16/00
C12Q 1/02
US Classification:
514212030, 435029000, 514212040, 514604000, 514789000, 530324000, 530387900, 530389100, 540522000, 540524000, 540527000, 564092000
Abstract:
The invention provides methods for determining whether an agent preferentially inhibits Presenilin-1-comprised γ-secretase relative to Presenilin-2-comprised γ-secretase. The invention also provides agents that preferentially inhibit Presenilin-1-comprised γ-secretase relative to Presenilin-2-comprised γ-secretase, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of treating Alzheimer's disease using such compounds. The invention also discloses that the N-terminal domain of presenilin-1 and -2 determines the difference in the production of Aβ by PS1-comprised and PS2-comprised gamma secretases. This finding identified the structural determinant for the observed difference in the production of Aβ by PS1-comprised and PS2-comprised gamma secretases. Such structural determinant was not identified before. This invention also provides a method for determining whether an agent specifically binds the N terminus of PS1. The invention further provides for methods of treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by administration of an effective dose of an agent which specifically binds PS1, thereby inhibiting PS1 activity.