Compounds suitable for the treatment and prophylaxis of muscle wasting and other conditions

1. A compound of the general formula I

wherein

R 1 is hydrogen or a group —CH 2 R 1a , where R 1a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, phenyl, where phenyl is unsubstituted or may carry 1, 2 or 3 radicals independently selected from halogen, cyano, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -haloalkyl and C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy; and a 5- to 10-membered heteroaromatic ring containing 1 to 4 heteroatoms or hetero-groups independently selected from the group consisting of N, NR c , O and S as ring member, where the 5- to 10-membered heteroaromatic ring is unsubstituted or may carry 1, 2 or 3 radicals R 7 ;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and fluorinated methyl;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and fluorinated methyl;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 4 -alkyl;

each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy and C 1 -C 3 -haloalkoxy;

each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy and C 1 -C 3 -haloalkoxy;

each R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy and C 1 -C 3 -haloalkoxy;

X 1 is NR a or O;

X 2 is NR b , O or S;

Y represents an oxygen atom or two hydrogen atoms;

R a , R b , R c are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 4 -alkyl;

a is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and

b is 0, 1, 2 or 3;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt as claimed in claim 1 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a group —CH 2 R 1a , where R 1a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and a 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaromatic ring containing 1 to 3 heteroatoms, independently selected from the group consisting of N, O and S, as ring member, where the 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaromatic ring is unsubstituted or carries 1 radical R 7 , where R 7 is selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl and C 1 -C 2 -alkoxy.

3. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt as claimed in claim 2 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a group —CH 2 R 1a , where R 1a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and an unsubstituted 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaromatic ring containing 1 to 3 heteroatoms, independently selected from the group consisting of N, O and S, as ring member.

4. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

R 2 is hydrogen or methyl;

R 3 is hydrogen;

R 4 is methyl;

each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl and C 1 -C 2 -alkoxy;

each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl and C 1 -C 2 -alkoxy;

X 1 is NH or O;

X 2 is O;

a is 0, 1 or 2; and

b is 0 or 1.

5. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt as claimed in claim 1 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group CH 2 -I′ or CH 2 -II′

wherein * indicates the point of attachment to the urea nitrogen atom;

each R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy and C 1 -C 3 -haloalkoxy;

X 3 is NR c , O or S;

R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 4 -alkyl; and

c is 0, 1, 2 or 3.

6. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt as claimed in claim 5 , wherein

R 2 is hydrogen or methyl;

R 3 is hydrogen;

R 4 is methyl;

each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl and C 1 -C 2 -alkoxy;

each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl and C 1 -C 2 -alkoxy;

each R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 3 -alkyl and C 1 -C 2 -alkoxy;

X 1 is NH or O;

X 2 is O;

X 3 is O or S;

a is 0, 1 or 2;

b is 0 or 1; and

c is 0 or 1.

7. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt as claimed in claim 6 , wherein

R 2 is hydrogen;

R 3 is hydrogen;

R 4 is methyl;

X 1 is NH or O;

X 2 is O;

X 3 is O or S;

a is 0;

b is 0; and

c is 0.

8. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt of formula I as defined in claim 1 , which corresponds to the formula I-A,

wherein

X 1 is NH or O; and

X 3 is O or S;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

or to the formula I-B,

wherein

X 1 is NH or O;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

or to the formula I-C,

wherein

X 1 is NH or O; and

X 3 is O or S;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

or to the formula I-D,

wherein

R 1 is hydrogen or methyl; and

X 1 is NH or O;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

9. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt of formula I as defined in claim 1 , which is [2-(2-furylmethylcarbamoylamino)-2-oxo-ethyl] 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]benzoate or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

10. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt of formula I as defined in claim 1 , which is 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]-N-[2-(2-thienylmethylcarbamoylamino)ethyl]benzamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

11. The compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt of formula I as defined in claim 1 , which is [2-oxo-2-(2-pyridylmethylcarbamoylamino) ethyl] 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]benzoate or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

12. The compound of formula I as defined in claim 1 , which is N-[2-(2-furylmethylcarbamoylamino)-2-oxo-ethyl]-4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]benzamide, [2-oxo-2-(2-thienylmethylcarbamoylamino)ethyl] 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]-benzoate, or 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]-N-[2-oxo-2-(2-thienylmethylcarbamoylamino)ethyl]-benzamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

13. The compound of formula I as defined in claim 1 , which is (1-methyl-2-oxo-2-ureido-ethyl) 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]benzoate or [1-methyl-2-(methylcarbamoylamino)-2-oxo-ethyl] 4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-chromen-7-yl)oxymethyl]benzoate, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

14. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula I as defined in claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

15. A method for treating or preventing muscle wasting conditions in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject in need thereof.

16. A method for treating or preventing skeletal or cardiac muscle atrophy resulting from one of the following diseases or conditions: congestive heart failure, chronic heart failure, cancer, cancer treatment with myotoxic and/or cardiotoxic substances, congenital myopathy, AIDS, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic renal diseases, renal failure, diabetes, severe burns, sarcopenia during aging, reduction in blood supply, temporary or long term immobilization, long term mechanical ventilation, denervation, prolonged weightlessness and malnutrition in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject in need thereof.

17. A method for treating or preventing conditions which are associated with an increased Muscle RING Finger 1 (MuRF1) expression in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject in need thereof.

18. A method for treating or preventing cardiac conditions associated with systolic or diastolic dysfunction in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject in need thereof.

19. A method for treating or preventing diabetes in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject in need thereof.

20. A method for treating or preventing

skeletal or cardiac muscle atrophy resulting from or associated with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-rEF), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HF-pEF), hypertension or tumor cachexia;

muscle atrophy and/or cardiac toxicity induced by Doxorubicin;

sarcopenia and/or cardiomyopathy due to aging;

muscle atrophy due to chronic renal disease;

diaphragm weakness due to mechanical ventilation or congestive heart failure;

congenital myopathy;

diabetes-induced muscle atrophy; and/or

diabetes in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject in need thereof.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the condition which is associated with an increased Muscle RING Finger 1 (MuRF1) expression, is a myopathy which is associated with an increased Muscle RING Finger 1 (MuRF1) expression.

22. The method of claim 21 , where the myopathy is selected from critical illness myopathy, nemaline myopathy, inflammatory myopathy, myopathy from diabetes, myopathy from pulmonary hypertension, myopathy from chronic heart failure, myopathy from kidney failure and myopathy from tumor cachexia.