Discovery of the first nonpeptidic, small-molecule, highly selective somatostatin receptor subtype 5 antagonists: A chemogenomics approach

We disclose the first selective, nonpeptidic, small-molecule somatostatin receptor subtype 5 (SST5R) antagonists that were identified by a chemogenomics approach based on the analysis of the homology of amino acids defining the putative consensus drug binding site of SST5R. With this strategy, opioid, histamine, dopamine, and serotonine receptors were identified as the closest neighbors of SST5R. The HI antagonist astemizole was chosen as a seed structure and subsequently transformed into a SST5 receptor antagonist with nanomolar binding affinity devoid of the original target activity.