Continuous arycyclic compound

1. A continuous arycyclic compound represented by the formula:

wherein Alk represents a linear C 1-6 alkylene group, a branched C 1-6 alkylene group or a C 1-6 alkylene group having a ring structure; where a part of the carbon atoms constituting the ring structure may be optionally substituted by an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom or a sulfur atom,

in Ring X,

X 1 represents N or CR X1 ,

X 2 represents N or CR X2 ,

X 3 represents N or CR X3 ,

X 4 represents N or CR X4 ,

where R X1 , R X2 , R X3 and R X4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom; a linear or branched C 1-6 alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s); a C 3-7 alkyl group having a ring structure which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s); a linear or branched C 1-6 alkoxy group; a halogen atom or a cyano group,

in Ring Y,

Y 1 represents N or CR Y1 ,

Y 2 represents N or CR Y2 ,

Y 3 represents N or CR Y3 ,

Y 4 represents N or CR Y4 ,

R Y1 , R Y2 , R Y3 and R Y4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom; a linear or branched C 1-6 alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s); a C 3-7 alkyl group having a ring structure which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s); a linear or branched C 1-6 alkoxy group; a halogen atom or a cyano group,

in Ring Z,

R Z represents a linear or branched C 1-6 alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s) or C 3-7 alkyl group having a ring structure which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s),

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

wherein Ring X is a pyridyl or phenyl group, and Ring Y is a pyridyl or phenyl group.

2. The continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 , wherein Ring X has a structure represented by any one of the following formulae:

wherein R X1 to R X4 have the same meanings as defined above,

and Ring Y has a structure represented by any one of the following formulae:

wherein R Y1 to R Y4 have the same meanings as defined above.

3. The continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 2 , wherein R Z is a linear or branched C 1-6 alkyl group which is substituted by a halogen atom(s) or a C 3-7 alkyl group having a ring structure which may be substituted by a halogen atom(s).

4. The continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 3 , wherein Alk is a branched C 2-4 alkylene group.

5. A continuous arycyclic compound which is any one of the following compounds:

2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-{5-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}phenoxy)-propanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-{5-[5-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}phenoxy)propanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-{4-methyl-5-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}-phenoxy)propanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-[4-(5-{5-[1-(trifluoromethyl)cyclopropyl]-1H-imidazol-2-yl}pyridin-2-yl)phenoxy)propanoic acid;

1-[(3-methyl-4-{5-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl}pyridin-2-yl}phenoxy)-methyl]cyclobutanecarboxylic acid;

3-(4-{5-[5-(3,3-difluorocyclobutyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}phenoxy)-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-({4-methyl-6′-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3,3′-bipyridin-6-yl}oxy)propanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-({4′-methyl-5-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-2,3′-bipyridin-6′-yl}oxy)propanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-[(4-methyl-5-{4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}pyridin-2-yl)oxy]propanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-[(6-methyl-5-{4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}pyridin-2-yl)oxy]propanoic acid;

3-[(5-{3-fluoro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}pyridin-2-yl)oxy]-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-[(4-methyl-5-{3-methyl-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-phenyl}pyridin-2-yl)oxy]propanoic acid;

3-[(5-{3-fluoro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid;

2,2-dimethyl-3-[4-[5-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-2-pyridyl]phenoxy]-propanoic acid;

3-[(5-{3-chloro-4-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid;

3-{[5-(3-fluoro-4-{5-[1-(trifluoromethyl)cyclopropyl]-1H-imidazol-2-yl}phenyl)-4-methylpyridin-2-yl]oxy}-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid;

3-[(5-{4-[5-(cyclopropylmethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3-fluorophenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid;

1-[({4-methyl-6′-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3,3′-bipyridin-6-yl}oxy)methyl]cyclobutanecarboxylic acid;

1-{[(5-{3-fluoro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]methyl}cyclobutanecarboxylic acid;

1-[({5′-chloro-4-methyl-6′-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3,3′-bipyridin-6-yl}oxy)methyl]cyclobutanecarboxylic acid;

1-{[(5-{3-chloro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]methyl}cyclopropanecarboxylic acid; and

1-{[(5-{3-chloro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]methyl}cyclobutanecarboxylic acid,

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

an effective amount of an acyl coenzyme A: diacylglycerol acyltransferase DGAT1 inhibitor which is the continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 as an effective ingredient; and

a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

7. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 6 which is suitable for use as a prophylactic or treatment agent of obesity.

8. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 7 which is suitable for use as a prophylactic or treatment agent of hyperlipidemia or hypertriglyceridemia.

9. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 6 which is suitable for use as a treatment agent of the following obesity-caused diseases: lumbago and knee osteoarthritis.

10. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 6 which is suitable for use as a prophylactic or treatment agent of type 2 diabetes.

11. A prophylaxis or treatment method of a condition which is obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia and type 2 diabetes, which comprises:

administering therapeutically effective amount of the continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 to a patient suffering from said condition.

12. The continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 2 , wherein R Z is methyl which is substituted by a halogen atom(s).

13. The continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 3 , wherein Alk is —C(CH 3 ) 2 —.

14. 2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-{5-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}phenoxy)propanoic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

15. 3-{[5-(3-fluoro-4-{5-[1-(trifluoromethyl)cyclopropyl]-1H-imidazol-2-yl}phenyl)-4-methylpyridin-2-yl]oxy}-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

16. 3-[(5-{3-fluoro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

17. 3-[(5-{3-chloro-4-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenyl}-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein said compound is administered to a patient suffering from obesity.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein said compound is administered to a patient suffering from hyperlipidemia or hypertriglyceridemia.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein said compound is administered to a patient suffering from type 2 diabetes.

21. A treatment method of a condition which is selected from the group consisting of the following obesity-caused diseases: lumbago and knee osteoarthritis, which comprises:

administering therapeutically effective amount of the continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 to a patient suffering from said condition.

22. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 6 , which is suitable for use to as an agent to lower glucose plasma levels.

23. A method of lowering glucose plasma levels, comprising:

administering therapeutically effective amount of the continuous arycyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 to a patient in need of lowering glucose plasma levels.