Recent patent trends in the field of progesterone receptor agonists and modulators.
BACKGROUND
Progesterone receptor agonists are used in female contraception, hormone replacement therapy or some gynecological conditions like endometriosis. The interest for antagonists or selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRMs) is growing. Recent reports on this class of compounds indicate that they could become the next generation of therapeutics in gynecological treatments.


OBJECTIVE
This overview summarizes the work on progesterone receptor agonists, SPRMs and antagonists reported in the patent literature in the past 4 years.


METHODS
The focus of the article is the examination of patents, primarily published as WO, EU or US patents since 2005. In some cases, additional data from the public literature is included into the discussion. These data are of substantial interest as the available biological data disclosed in patents are usually limited for new compound classes.


CONCLUSIONS
Some highly active clusters of compounds have been disclosed in the past 4 years. The current research seems to focus on SPRMs and progesterone receptor antagonists.
Schmees
Norbert
N
Bayer Schering Pharma, Medicinal Chemistry, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany. norbert.schmees@bayerhealthcare.com
Weinmann
Hilmar
H
D000818:Animals; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000494:pharmacology; D015195:Drug Design; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010330:Patents as Topic; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000819:agonists* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone