science

MK-0773

MK-0773 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand MK-0773 rather than just read about it. In short: MK-0773, also known as PF-05314882, is a steroidal, orally active selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that was under development by Merck and GTx for the treatment of sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) in women and men. Clinical trials for sarcopenia began in late 2007 but the collaboration between Merck and GTx ended in early 2010 and GTx terminated development of MK-0773 shortly thereafter.

Key takeaways

MK-0773 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect MK-0773 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of MK-0773 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

MK-0773, also known as PF-05314882, is a steroidal, orally active selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that was under development by Merck and GTx for the treatment of sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) in women and men. Clinical trials for sarcopenia began in late 2007 but the collaboration between Merck and GTx ended in early 2010 and GTx terminated development of MK-0773 shortly thereafter. MK-0773 was developed as a more advanced version of the related compound TFM-4AS-1. MK-0773 is a 4-azasteroid and a potent and selective agonist of the androgen receptor (AR). It binds to the AR with an EC50 of 6.6 nM and is a partial agonist in transactivation modulation of the AR with an IP of 25 nM and Emax of 78% and has a TRAF2 Emax of 29% and an N/C interaction (virilization-related) counterscreen assay Emax of 2%. That is, it produces promoter activation but induces the N/C interaction almost negligibly. MK-0773 is reportedly four times as potent as testosterone as an agonist of the AR. The drug is selective and does not bind to other steroid hormone receptors such as the progesterone receptor or glucocorticoid receptor and shows no significant inhibition of 5α-reductase (IC50 > 10 μM). In addition, it is non-aromatizable and hence has no potential for estrogenic effects or side effects, like gynecomastia. MK-0773 had similar effects on lipid metabolism relative to DHT, including a decrease in total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) of a similar magnitude. MK-0773 shows tissue-selective androgenic effects in vivo in animals. It increases lean body mass with maximal anabolic effects that are approximately 80% of those of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). However, it had less than 5% of the effect of DHT on uterine weight, about 30 to 50% of the increase of sebaceous gland area induced by DHT, and increased the weight of the seminal vesicles by 12% of that of DHT at the highest dosage assessed. It had similarly reduced effects on the prostate gland. No significant increase in gene expression of six candidate genes related to virilization was observed. As such, MK-0773 shows a profile of an anabolic SARM with limited effects on sebaceous glands and reproductive tissues in animals and a reduced propensity for virilization. In human clinical studies, MK-0773 produced anabolism in women and men while producing no or very low effects on sebaceous glands, the endometrium, or the prostate gland after 12 weeks of treatment. A decrease in total cholesterol and HDL was also observed in the clinical studies. MK-0773 produced a significant increase in lean body mass in elderly (≥65 years of age) women with sarcopenia and moderate physical dysfunction. It also increased muscle strength relative to placebo but this failed to reach statistical significance. MK-0773 has been associated with elevated liver enzymes in clinical studies. MK-0773 has been encountered as a novel designer drug.

See also Cl-4AS-1 MK-4541 TFM-4AS-1 YK-11

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with MK-0773

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what MK-0773 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to MK-0773 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about MK-0773 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of MK-0773

In research: MK-0773 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses MK-0773 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: MK-0773 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Abandoned drugs, Androstanes, Carboxamides, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for MK-0773 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study MK-0773 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what MK-0773 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain MK-0773 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is MK-0773 in simple terms?

Why does MK-0773 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study MK-0773?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on MK-0773.