About the Authors

Makoto Matsumoto

To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: m_matsumoto@research.otsuka.co.jp

Affiliation Microbiological Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Hiroyuki Hashizume

Affiliation Microbiological Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Tatsuo Tomishige

Affiliation Microbiological Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Masanori Kawasaki

Affiliation Microbiological Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Hidetsugu Tsubouchi

Affiliation Medicinal Chemistry Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Hirofumi Sasaki

Affiliation Medicinal Chemistry Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Yoshihiko Shimokawa

Affiliation Tokushima Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Makoto Komatsu

Affiliation Medicinal Chemistry Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan

Competing Interests

All of the authors are working as scientists for Otsuka Pharmaceutical, the originator and owner of OPC-67683 and sole financial supporter of the studies. However, the company is not publicly traded, and none of the authors have or are expected to have stock options.

Author Contributions

All listed authors actively participated in the studies related to OPC-67683 described in this manuscript. M. Matsumoto established a strategy for screening for all synthesized compounds, and was instrumental in selecting and evaluating OPC-67683 through conducting susceptibility tests, establishing the inhibitory activity of OPC-67683 on mycolic acid biosynthesis, and carrying out all in vivo studies involving OPC-67683 in collaboration with H. Hashizume, T. Tomishige, and M. Kawasaki. H. Hashizume was responsible for conducting the bacteria reverse mutation testing and the absorption study in mice. T. Tomishige looked after determining the intracellular activity of OPC-67683 and confirming the potency in the immunosuppressive animal model. M. Kawasaki conducted the studies related to the mechanism of action, susceptibility testing, experimental isolation of resistant strains, confirmation of a mutation in the Rv3547 gene in OPC-67683-resistant strains, and identification of metabolites. H. Tsubouchi and M. Komatsu coordinated the overall activities involved in synthesizing the many novel derivatives for selecting potent antituberculosis agents, and, together with H. Sasaki, synthesized and supplied the derivatives used for in vitro and in vivo evaluations. They also established the facile and practical synthesis method for the intermediates to synthesize many target compounds and supplied derivatives for the screening toxicity test in animals in large scale. H. Sasaki assumed a main role in synthesising various compounds, including OPC-67683. Y. Shimokawa was in charge of the drug interaction studies.