Efforts to identify treatments for chronic diabetic complications have resulted in the discovery of a novel series of highly potent and selective [3-(4,5,7-trifluoro-benzothiazol-2-ylmethyl)-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-1-yl]acetic acid aldose reductase inhibitors. The lead candidate, [6-methyl-3-(4,5,7-trifluoro-benzothiazol-2-ylmethyl)-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-1-yl]acetic acid example 16, inhibits aldose reductase with an IC50 of 8 nM, while being inactive against aldehyde reductase (IC50>100 microM), a related enzyme involved in the detoxification of reactive aldehydes.
Acetates Aldehyde Reductase