DOV-216,303

DOV 216,303 is an antidepressant drug originally developed by DOV Pharmaceutical and now licensed to the larger pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., which is currently in clinical trials. It is a so-called triple reuptake inhibitor (TRI), or serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (SNDRI). It is expected to launch sometime around 2011. It is the racemic mixture of DOV 21,947 and its (–)-enantiomer. Its IC50 values for SERT, NET, and DAT are Ki 14 nM, 20 nM, and 78 nM, respectively. It is closely related to DOV 102,677 and DOV 21,947, both of which are also being developed in collaboration with Merck.


 * Doses of up to 100mg per day are well tolerated with only nausea, and GI disturbances reported as side effects.
 * This compound does not cause notable shifts in LMA, and is not psychostimulant.

The effects are not long-lasting.

More recently (see attachment), it appears that the DOV compound may also be useful at increasing weight loss.


 * DOV causes a decrease in circulating triglycerides.
 * The reason for weightloss is not going to be thermogenic or psychostimulant, or chronic decrease appetite. Read article for details.

Chemistry
Revised synthesis is adapted from original procedures:
 * 3,4-Dichlorophenylacetonitrile reacted with sodium bromate → α-bromo-3,4-dichlorophenylacetic acid methyl ester 2.
 * 1) Crude α-bromo-3,4-dichlorophenylacetic acid methyl ester then reacted with methylacrylate to afford the diester 3, which is converted to 1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,2-cyclopropanedicarboxylic acid dipotassium salt 4.
 * 2) The dipotassium salt reacts with urea to provide 1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,4-dione 5, which is reduced by BH3-THF complex to afford DOV 216303.
 * 3) Resolution of 216303 by L-(–)-dibenzoyl tartaric acid gives the (+)-enantiomer DOV 21947.
 * 4) Resolution of 216303 by D-(+)-dibenzoyl tartaric acid gives the (–)-enantiomer DOV 102677.