Pharmacological Properties and Procognitive Effects of ABT-288, a Potent and Selective Histamine H3Receptor Antagonist

Blockade of the histamine H₃ receptor (H₃R) enhances central neurotransmitter release, making it an attractive target for the treatment of cognitive disorders. Here, we present in vitro and in vivo pharmacological profiles for the H₃R antagonist 2-[4′-((3aR,6aR)-5-methyl-hexahydro-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrol-1-yl)-biphenyl-4-yl]-2H-pyridazin-3-one (ABT-288). ABT-288 is a competitive antagonist with high affinity and selectivity for human and rat H₃Rs (K_i = 1.9 and 8.2 nM, respectively) that enhances the release of acetylcholine and dopamine in rat prefrontal cortex. In rat behavioral tests, ABT-288 improved acquisition of a five-trial inhibitory avoidance test in rat pups (0.001–0.03 mg/kg), social recognition memory in adult rats (0.03–0.1 mg/kg), and spatial learning and reference memory in a rat water maze test (0.1–1.0 mg/kg). ABT-288 attenuated methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity in mice. In vivo rat brain H₃R occupancy of ABT-288 was assessed in relation to rodent doses and exposure levels in behavioral tests. ABT-288 demonstrated a number of other favorable attributes, including good pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability of 37 to 66%, with a wide central nervous system and cardiovascular safety margin. Thus, ABT-288 is a selective H₃R antagonist with broad procognitive efficacy in rodents and excellent drug-like properties that support its advancement to the clinical area.