TAK-137, an AMPA-R potentiator with little agonistic effect, has a wide therapeutic window

Activation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptor (AMPA-R) is a promising strategy to treat psychiatric and neurological diseases if issues of bell-shaped response and narrow safety margin against seizure can be overcome. Here, we show that structural interference at Ser743 in AMPA-R is a key to lower the agonistic effect of AMPA-R potentiators containing dihydropyridothiadiazine 2,2-dioxides skeleton. With this structural insight, TAK-137, 9-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydropyrido[2,1-c][1,2,4]thiadiazine 2,2-dioxide, was discovered as a novel AMPA-R potentiator with a lower agonistic effect than an AMPA-R potentiator LY451646 ((R)-N-(2-(4'-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)propyl)propane-2-sulfonamide) in rat primary neurons. TAK-137 induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor in neurons in rodents and potently improved cognition in both rats and monkeys. Compared to LY451646, TAK-137 had a wider safety margin against seizure in rats. TAK-137 enhanced neural progenitor proliferation over a broader range of doses in rodents. Thus, TAK-137 is a promising AMPA-R potentiator with potent procognitive effects and lower risks of bell-shaped response and seizure. These data may open the door for the development of AMPA-R potentiators as therapeutic drugs for psychiatric and neurological diseases.