USE OF METAL-ION CHELATES IN VALIDATING BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES AS DRUG TARGETS IN TEST ANIMAL MODELS

摘要

Use of chemical compounds or selections of chemical compounds (libraries) of the general Formula (I): for in vivo methods for testing or validating the physiological importance and/or the therapeutic or pharmacological potential of biological target molecules, notably proteins such as, e.g., receptors and especially 7TM receptors in test animals expressing the biological target molecule with, notably, a silent, engineered metal-ion site. Use of specific metal-ion binding sites of a generic nature in specific biological target molecules such as, e.g. transmembrane proteins wherein the metal-ion binding site is capable of forming a complex with a metal ion is also described. Chemical compounds or libraries suitable for use in methods for improving the in vivo pharmacokinetic behaviour of metal-ion chelates (e.g. the absorption pattern, the plasma half-life, the distribution, the metabolism and/or the elimination of the metal-ion chelates). In order to improve the efficacy of the metal-ion chelates impact on the biological target molecule after administration of the metal-ion chelate in vivo to a test animal it is advantageous e.g. to increase the time period during which the metal-ion chelate is in the circulatory system and/or localised at the target. Metal-ion chelating compounds, which are designed to be suitable for use in a target validation process according to the invention and to libraries of at least two or more of such metal-ion chelating compounds are disclosed.