A patent review of adaptor associated kinase 1 (AAK1) inhibitors (2013-present).

The promise of AAK1 as drug target for the treatment of neuropathic pain stimulated the search for AAK1 inhibitors. However, only two companies (i.e. Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb) seemed to be active in this field and filed patent applications in the last few years. The most promising congeners showed promising in vitro activity in a variety of AAK1-related assays. Moreover, selected compounds were also endowed with in vivo activity in various preclinical animal models for neuropathic pain.