The antiinflammatory effect of a series of aryloxoalkanoic acids II and of their biphenyl derivatives III was examined by measuring the inhibition of the development of carageenan- and adjuvant-induced edemas. The quantitative relations between the antiinflammatory effect and physicochemical and structural parameters of the compounds tested were evaluated. The equations obtained by the method of regression analysis showed a significant linear dependence of both inhibitory activities on the lipophilicity of the compounds and a considerable effect of some structural changes as expressed by indicator variables. The antiinflammatory effect is especially enhanced in both tests by the presence of a cyclic substituent at the aromatic ring. The high antiinflammatory effect of biphenylyl derivatives III is paralleled by their prolonged action. The prolongation of the effect is most likely a result of a suitable biotransformation of acid III to an efficient metabolite. The structural requirements which resulted from both the regression analysis and from the hypothesis of biotransformation of acids III were utilized in the synthesis of suitably substituted biphenylyloxoalkanoic acids. By this approach derivatives IIIe-i were obtained some of which showed a high antiinflammatory and also protracted effect. 4-(2',4'-Difluorbiphenylyl)-4-oxo-2-methylbutanoic acid (VÚFB-16 066, Flobufen) was chosen for further preclinical development.
