Glucosylceramide synthase inhibition for the treatment of collapsing glomerulopathy and other glomerular disease

1. A method of treating a glomerular disease selected from the group consisting of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, collapsing glomerulopathy, proliferative lupus nephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis and membranous nephropathy in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

R 1 is a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, —OR 30 , —SR 30 , —N(R 31 ) 2 , Ar 1 , —V o —OR 30 , —V o —N(R 31 ) 2 , —V o —Ar 1 , —O—V o —Ar 1 , —O—V 1 —N(R 31 ) 2 , —S—V o —Ar 1 , —S—V 1 —N(R 31 ) 2 , —N(R 31 )—V o —Ar 1 , —N(R 31 )—V 1 —N(R 31 ) 2 , —O—[CH 2 ] p —O—, —S—[CH 2 ] p —S—, and —[CH 2 ] q —;

Ar 1 is a phenyl group each optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl and C1-C6 haloalkyl; and

each R 30 is independently

i) hydrogen;

ii) a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl and C1-C6 haloalkyl; or

iii) an C1-C10 alkyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl and C1-C6 haloalkyl; and

each R 31 is independently R 30 , or —N(R 31 ) 2 is an optionally substituted non-aromatic heterocyclic group;

R 2 and R 3 taken together with the nitrogen atom of N(R 2 R 3 ) form a pyrrolidinyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, hydroxyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino and C1-C6 dialkylamino;

R 4 is an aliphatic or aryl group, each optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, Ar 3 , Ar 3 —Ar 3 , —OR 50 , —O(haloalkyl), —SR 50 , —NO 2 , —CN, —NCS, —N(R 51 ) 2 , —NR 51 C(O)R 50 , —NR 51 C(O)OR 52 , —N(R 51 )C(O)N(R 51 ) 2 , —C(O)R 50 , —C(S)R 50 , —C(O)OR 50 , —OC(O)R 50 , —C(O)N(R 51 ) 2 , —S(O) 2 R 50 , —SO 2 N(R 51 ) 2 , —S(O)R 52 , —SO 3 R 50 , —NR 51 SO 2 N(R 51 ) 2 , —NR 51 SO 2 R 52 , —V 4 —Ar 3 , —V—OR 50 , —V 4 —O(haloalkyl), —V 4 —SR 50 , —V 4 —NO 2 , —V 4 —CN, —V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —V 4 —NR 51 C(O)R 50 , —V 4 —NR 51 CO 2 R 52 , —V 4 —N(R 51 )C(O)N(R 51 ) 2 , —V 4 —C(O)R 50 , —V 4 —C(S)R 50 , —V 4 —CO 2 R 50 , —V 4 —OC(O)R 50 , —V 4 —C(O)N(R 51 ) 2 —, —V 4 —S(O) 2 R 50 , —V 4 —SO 2 N(R 51 ) 2 , —V 4 —S(O)R 52 , —V 4 —SO 3 R 50 , —V 4 —NR 51 SO 2 N(R 51 ) 2 , —V 4 —NR 51 SO 2 R 52 , —O—V 4 —Ar 3 , —O—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —S—V 4 —Ar 3 , —S—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —N(R 51 )—V 4 —Ar 3 , —N(R 51 )—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —NR 51 C(O)—V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —NR 51 C(O)—V 4 —Ar 3 , —C(O)—V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —C(O)—V 4 —Ar 3 , —C(S)—V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —C(S)—V 4 —Ar 3 , —C(O)O—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —C(O)O—V 4 —Ar 3 , —O—C(O)—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —O—C(O)—V 4 —Ar 3 , —C(O)N(R 51 )—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —C(O)N(R 51 )—V 4 —Ar 3 , —S(O) 2 —V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —S(O) 2 —V 4 —Ar 3 , —SO 2 N(R 51 )—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —SO 2 N(R 51 )—V 4 —Ar 3 , —S(O)—V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —S(O)—V 4 —Ar 3 , —S(O) 2 —O—V 5 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —S(O) 2 —O—V 4 —Ar 3 , —NR 51 SO 2 —V 4 —N(R 51 ) 2 , —NR 51 SO 2 —V 4 —Ar 3 , —O—[CH 2 ] p′ —O—, —S—[CH 2 ] p′ —S—, and —[CH 2 ] q′ —;

each V o is independently a C1-C10 alkylene group;

each V 1 is independently a C2-C10 alkylene group;

each V 4 is independently a C1-C10 alkylene group;

each V 5 is independently a C2-C10 alkylene group;

R 5 and R 6 are each independently —H, —OH, a halogen, a lower alkoxy group or a lower alkyl group;

each R 50 is independently

(i) hydrogen;

(ii) an aryl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, haloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl and haloalkyl; or

(iii) an alkyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, haloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl and haloalkyl;

each R 51 is independently R 50 , —CO 2 R 50 , —SO 2 R 50 or —C(O)R 50 , or —N(R 51 ) 2 taken together is an optionally substituted non-aromatic heterocyclic group;

each R 52 is independently

(i) an aryl group optionally substituted with one or two substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, haloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl and haloalkyl; or

(ii) an alkyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, haloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl and haloalkyl;

Q is —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —C(S)—, —NR 7 (CO)— or —C(O)NR 7 —;

Ar 1 is an aryl group each optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, C1-C6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6 alkylcarbonyl and C1-C6 haloalkyl;

each Ar 3 is independently an aryl group, each optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, haloalkoxy and haloalkyl;

n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;

each p is independently 1, 2, 3 or 4;

each p′ is independently 1, 2, 3 or 4;

each q is independently 3, 4, 5 or 6; and

each q′ is independently 3, 4, 5 or 6.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glomerular disease is mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glomerular disease is collapsing glomerulopathy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glomerular disease is proliferative lupus nephritis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glomerular disease is crescentic glomerulonephritis.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glomerular disease is membranous nephropathy.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

Q is —O—, —C(O)— or —NH;

n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;

r is 1, 2, 3 or 4; and

s is 1.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein Q is —O— or —C(O)—.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

R 4 is an optionally substituted lower alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group;

B is halogen, hydroxy, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy or C1-C6 haloalkoxy;

Q is —O—, —C(O)— or —NH;

n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6;

r is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

s is 1; and

k″ is 0 or 1.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein Q is —O— or —C(O)—.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkylamino, C1-C6 dialkylamino, aryl, aryloxy, —OH, C1-C6 alkoxy, —O—[CH 2 ] p —O— and —[CH 2 ] q —.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is a (1R,2R) stereoisomer, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

22. A method of treating a glomerular disease selected from the group consisting of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, collapsing glomerulopathy, proliferative lupus nephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis and membranous nephropathy in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

23. A method of treating a glomerular disease selected from the group consisting of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, collapsing glomerulopathy, proliferative lupus nephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis and membranous nephropathy in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by the following structural formula:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

—(CH 2 ) n —R 4 is a C6-C8 straight chained alkyl group optionally substituted with hydroxy;

B is halogen, hydroxy, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy or C1-C6 haloalkoxy;

r and s are each independently 1, 2, 3 or 4; and

k″ is 0 or 1.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the compound is a (1R,2R) stereoisomer, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.