Background:

LGD-3303 is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM).

LGD-3303 is a nonsteroidal, nonaromatizable androgen receptor ligand that binds to the androgen receptor with high affinity in a radiolabeled to competitive binding assay (Ki=0.9 nM). LGD-3303 binds to the mineralocorticoid, glucocorticoid, and progesterone receptors with greatly reduces affinity in comparison with the androgen receptor (Ki=1261, 581, and 136 nM, respectively). LGD-3303 potently activates transcription through the androgen receptor (EC50=3.6 nM) and has 134% efficacy relative to the steroidal androgen Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)[1].

LGD-3303 completely inhibits the loss of muscle weight with an oral dose of 1 mg/kg/day. At higher doses, LGD-3303 significantly increases levator ani muscle weight above eugonadal levels. In contrast, LGD-3303 has greatly reduced potency and efficacy on the other measured endpoints. LGD-3303 does not maintain eugonadal levels of serum LH at doses less than 10 mg/kg/day. LGD-3303 maintains eugonadal prostate weight only at doses of 100 mg/kg/day or greater and never fully returns the mean preputial gland weight to eugonadal levels at any tested dos. In no case does LGD-3303 restore LH, prostate, or preputial gland weights to supraphysiological levels significantly exceeding sham-operated controls. The ventral prostate, in particular, demonstrates a greatly reduced response to LGD-3303. At the muscle normalizing dose (1 mg/kg/day), ventral prostate weight is not significantly increased above the level of ORDX control rats (20% efficacy relative to intact rats). At the highest doses tested, ventral prostate never significantly exceeds eugonadal levels and reaches an apparent plateau with minimal increase in prostate weight as dosing escalated from 30 to 300 mg/kg/day. To investigate this apparent plateau in pharmacological activity, plasma concentrations of LGD-3303 are analyzed from the highest dose groups. Exposure to LGD-3303 (AUC0-6) monotonically increases with dose from 10 to 300 mg/kg/day[2].

[1]. Vajda EG, et al. Combination treatment with a selective androgen receptor modulator q(SARM) and a bisphosphonate has additive effects in osteopenic female rats. J Bone Miner Res. 2009 Feb;24(2):231-40. [2]. Vajda EG, et al. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of LGD-3303 [9-chloro-2-ethyl-1-methyl-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-3H-pyrrolo-[3,2-f]quinolin-7(6H)-one], an orally available nonsteroidal-selective androgen receptor modulator. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2009 Feb;328(2):663-70.