(1-(4-(Naphthalen-2-yl)pyrimidin-2-yl)piperidin-4-yl)methanamine: A Wingless β-Catenin Agonist That Increases Bone Formation Rate

A high-throughput screening campaign to discover small molecule leads for the treatment of bone disorders concluded with the discovery of a compound with a 2-aminopyrimidine template that targeted the Wnt beta-catenin cellular messaging system. Hit-to-lead in vitro optimization for target activity and molecular properties led to the discovery of (1-(4-(naphthalen-2-yl)pyrimidin-2-yl)piperidin-4-yl)methanamine (5, WAY-262611). Compound 5 has excellent pharmacokinetic properties and showed a dose dependent increase in the trabecular bone formation rate in ovariectomized rats following oral administration.