N-substituted azetidine derivatives

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel N-substituted azetidine derivatives < of the formula (I); wherein SERMF is a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modilator fragment; X is no atom, O, S, CH2, carbonyl, N—R5; R1 is H, (C1-8)alkyl, (C3-8)cycloalkyl, (C3-6)heterocycloalkyl, (C2-6)alkenyl, (C2-6)alkynyl, (C1-4)alkylcarbonyl, (C1-4)alkoxy(C2-4)alkyl, (C3-6)cycloalkyl(C1-3)-alkyl, (C3-6)heterocycloalkyl(C1-3)alkyl, each independently optionally substituted with one or more halogen, nitrile, hydroxyl or (C1-2)alkyl; R5 is H, (C1-3)alkyl, optionally substituted with one or more fluorine; R17, R18 and R19 are independently of each other H, fluorine, nitrile or (C1-3)-alkyl, optionally substituted with one or more fluorine; or a prodrug, isotopically-labelled derivative or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, > to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and to their use in therapy, in particular to their use for the prevention or treatment of ovulatory dysfunction, uterine cancer, endometrium cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, osteoporosis, prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and breast cancer, in particular ER-positive breast cancer, more in particular ER-positive, hormone treatment-resistant breast cancer. Said N-substituted azetidine derivatives have estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) antagonistic and—in certain embodiments—selective estrogen receptor downregulating (SERD) activity in ER-positive breast cancer cells.