Compounds and method for reducing uric acid

1. A method of reducing the uric acid concentration in blood of, or increasing uric acid excretion from, a mammalian subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a compound of Formula IA or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof

wherein:

m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

n is 0 or 1;

m+n is not more than 4;

t is 0;

q is 0 or 1;

r is 0 or 1;

R 6 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl and R 12 is hydrogen or methyl, or R 6 is hydroxy and R 12 is hydrogen, or R 6 is O and R 12 is absent, or R 6 and R 12 together are —CH 2 CH 2 —;

R 7 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;

one of R 8 and R 9 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and the other is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;

R 10 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;

when q is 1, X is C(O) and r is 0;

A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from halo, hydroxy, methyl, ethyl, perfluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, and perfluoromethoxy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Compound is represented by Formula IA1

wherein

two of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, methyl, ethyl, perfluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy and perfluoromethoxy, and the remainder are hydrogen;

m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

n is 0 or 1;

m+n is not more than 4;

R 6 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl and R 12 is hydrogen or methyl, or R 6 is hydroxy and R 12 is hydrogen, or R 6 is O and R 12 is absent, or R 6 and R 12 together are —CH 2 CH 2 —;

R 7 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;

one of R 8 and R 9 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and the other is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;

R 10 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 1 is methyl and R 5 is methyl.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the Compound is selected from the group consisting of:

4-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-4-oxobutyric acid;

3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxy)-phenylacetic acid; and

4-3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxy)-phenyl)-4-hydroxybutanoic acid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Compound is selected from the group consisting of:

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxy)-4-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid;

4-(3-(2-Methylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid;

4-(3-(2,6-Difluorobenzyloxyl)phenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid;

4-(3-(2-Fluoro-6-methylbenzyloxy)phenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid;

4-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-4-oxobutanoic acid;

4-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)butanoic acid;

Methyl 3-(3-(2,6-dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-3-oxopropanoate;

5-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-5-oxopentanoic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-2-oxoacetic acid;

5-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)pentanoic acid;

3-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)propanoic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Difluorobenzyloxyl)phenyl)acetic acid;

4-(3-(2,6-Dichlorobenzyloxyl)phenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)propanoic acid;

2-(3-(4-Trifluoromethyl)benzyloxy)phenyl)acetic acid;

2-(3-(2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyloxy)phenyl)acetic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)butanoic acid;

2-(3-(3,5-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)acetic acid;

2-(3-(2,4-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)acetic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethoxylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)acetic acid;

2-(3-(Benzyloxy)phenyl)acetic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)propanoic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)butanoic acid;

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)-2-methylpropanoic acid;

1-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxyl)phenyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid; and

2-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzyloxy)-4-fluorophenyl)acetic acid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Compound is selected from the group consisting of:

4-(3-(2,6-Dimethylbenzoyloxyl)phenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid; and

2-(3-(2-Chloro-6-methylbenzyloxy)phenyl)acetic acid.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject has a condition selected from the group consisting of gout, hyperuricemia, elevated levels of uric acid that do not meet the levels customarily justifying a diagnosis of hyperuricemia, and tumor-lysis syndrome.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering to the subject one or more other uric acid lowering drugs in a combined amount effective to reduce the uric acid concentration in blood of, or increase uric acid excretion from, the subject.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the other uric acid lowering drug is selected from the group consisting of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, a uricosuric agent, a urate transporter-1 inhibitor, a uricase, and a statin.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the other uric acid lowering drug is administered in an amount that is less than the usual therapeutic dose when administered alone.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the Compound of Formula IA or salt thereof and the one or more other uric acid lowering drugs are mixed together to form an admixture and the admixture is administered to the subject.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the Compound of Formula IA or salt thereof and the one or more other uric acid lowering drugs are not mixed together to form an admixture but are administered independently to the subject.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Compound of Formula IA or salt thereof is formulated for oral administration.