Thrombin is a serine protease that plays an important role in the bloo
d coagulation cascade, and is a target enzyme for new therapeutic agen
ts. Ac-(D)-Phe-Pro-boroArg-OH (DuP714) was found to be a highly effect
ive thrombin inhibitor. In order to reduce the peptidic nature of DuP
714, we have designed a series of novel biaryl substituted alkylborona
te esters as potent thrombin inhibitors. The most potent compounds hav
e subnanomolar affinity for thrombin. (C) 1997 The DuPont Merck Pharma
ceutical Company. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.