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DOI: https://doi.org/10.6023/cjoc202605010

ARTICLE

Design and Synthesis of Novel KCNQ2 Agonists Based on Molecular Module Assembly

  • Jinmeng Jiao ,
  • Xiaoying Ye ,
  • Fuyun Tian ,
  • Zhaobing Gao ,
  • Fajun Nan ,
  • Linhai Chen
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  • a School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012;
    b Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai 264100;
    c School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023;
    d Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan 528400;
    e Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 210023

Received date: 2026-07-29

  Revised date: 2026-08-17

  Online published: 2026-08-28

Supported by

National Science and Technology Innovation 2030 Major Program (2021ZD0200900), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22477106), the Taishan Scholars Program (No. tsqn202408314), and the Special Foundation of Yantai for Leading Talents above Provincial Level.

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Abstract

In this study, a molecular module assembly strategy was employed for the structural optimization of pynegabine (HN37), a clinical candidate targeting the potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q (KCNQ). First, an activity prediction model was established based on multi-conformation molecular docking and multiple linear regression. Simultaneously, a virtual compound library with high synthetic accessibility and structural novelty was constructed via modular assembly based on the Buchwald-Hartwig reaction, utilizing diverse building blocks acquired through substructure searches. Subsequently, a hierarchical virtual screening workflow—combining drug-likeness evaluation and established activity prediction model—was applied to identify a set of prioritized structures. On this basis, 24 target compounds were synthesized and evaluated using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Experimental results demonstrated that 6 compounds exhibited significant agonistic activity against the KCNQ2 channel at 100 nM, with the structure-activity relationships (SAR) preliminary elucidated. Among them, compounds 3 and 4 showed favorable KCNQ2 agonistic activity, subtype selectivity for KCNQ channels, and metabolic stability. By integrating module-assembly-based molecular design, hierarchical virtual screening, and experimental validation, this work identifies a series of promising KCNQ2 agonists and paves the way for subsequent optimization.

Key words： KCNQ2 agonists; pynegabine; structural optimization; activity-prediction model; molecular module assembly

Cite this article

Jinmeng Jiao , Xiaoying Ye , Fuyun Tian , Zhaobing Gao , Fajun Nan , Linhai Chen . Design and Synthesis of Novel KCNQ2 Agonists Based on Molecular Module Assembly[J]. Chinese Journal of Organic Chemistry, 0 : 0 . DOI: 10.6023/cjoc202605010

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