A novel series of urea-based peptidomimetic calpain inhibitors

A series of peptide aldehyde derivatives in which the P-2 chiral carbon has been replaced with nitrogen were synthesized as urea-based peptidomimetic inhibitors of mu-calpain. The compounds mirrored the general SAR of peptidyl aldehyde calpain inhibitors but displayed greater selectivity for mu-calpain over cathepsin B. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.