Cyclic amides of N alpha-arylsulfonylaminoacylated 4-amidinophenylalanine--tight binding inhibitors of thrombin.

Variation of the potent thrombin inhibitors derived from N alpha-arylsulfonyl-4-amidinophenylalanine was carried out by interposition of an omega-aminoalkylcarboxylic acid between the N alpha-arylsulfonyl residue and the 4-amidinophenylalanine part. The use of glycine as spacer renders the compounds tight binding inhibitors of thrombin. The Ki of the most potent inhibitor reaches the nmol/l range. The inhibitory effect is specifically directed against thrombin, the Ki values for inhibition of trypsin, plasmin and factor Xa are some orders of magnitude higher than those for thrombin inhibition.