Development of (6R)‑2-Nitro-6-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy]-6,7-dihydro‑5H‑imidazo[2,1‑b][1,3]oxazine (DNDI-8219): A New Lead for Visceral Leishmaniasis

Discovery of the potent antileishmanial effects of antitubercular 6-nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo­[2,1-b]­[1,3]­oxazoles and 7-substituted 2-nitro-5,6-dihydroimidazo­[2,1-b]­[1,3]­oxazines stimulated the examination of further scaffolds (e.g., 2-nitro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroimidazo­[2,1-b]­[1,3]­oxazepines), but the results for these seemed less attractive. Following the screening of a 900-compound pretomanid analogue library, several hits with more suitable potency, solubility, and microsomal stability were identified, and the superior efficacy of newly synthesized 6R enantiomers with phenylpyridine-based side chains was established through head-to-head assessments in a Leishmania donovani mouse model. Two such leads (R-84 and R-89) displayed promising activity in the more stringent Leishmania infantum hamster model but were unexpectedly found to be potent inhibitors of hERG. An extensive structure–activity relationship investigation pinpointed two compounds (R-6 and pyridine R-136) with better solubility and pharmacokinetic properties that also provided excellent oral efficacy in the same hamster model (>97% parasite clearance at 25 mg/kg, twice daily) and exhibited minimal hERG inhibition. Additional profiling earmarked R-6 as the favored backup development candidate.