We investigated the pharmacology of three novel compounds, Org 27569 (5-chloro-3-ethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid [2-(4- piperidin-1-yl-phenyl)-ethyl]-amide), Org 27759 (3-ethyl-5- fluoro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid [2-94-dimethylamino-phenyl)-ethyl]-amide), and Org 29647 (5-chloro-3-ethyl-1H-indole2-carboxylic acid (1-benzyl-pyrrolidin-3-yl)-amide, 2-enedioic acid salt), at the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. In equilibrium binding assays, the Org compounds significantly increased the binding of the CB1 receptor agonist [3 H]CP 55,940 [(1R,3R,4R)- 3-[2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)phenyl]-4-(3-hydroxypropyl)cyclohexan-1-ol], indicative of a positively cooperative allosteric effect. The same compounds caused a significant, but incomplete, decrease in the specific binding of the CB1 receptor inverse agonist [3 H]SR 141716A [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4- chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3- carboximide hydrochloride], indicative of a limited negative binding cooperativity. Analysis of the data according to an allosteric ternary...