RESUMO
Dengue is the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease and a major global health concern. Over the last decade, dengue virus (DENV) drug discovery and development has intensified, however, this has not resulted in approved DENV-specific antiviral treatments yet. DENV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) belong to the same Flaviviridae family and, in contrast to DENV, antiviral treatments for HCV have been licensed. Therefore, applying the knowledge gained on anti-HCV drugs may foster the discovery and development of dengue antiviral drugs. Here, we screened a library of compounds with established anti-HCV activity in a DENV-2 sub-genomic replicon inhibition assay and selected compounds with single-digit micromolar activity. These compounds were advanced into a hit-to-lead medicinal chemistry program resulting in lead compound JNJ-1A, which inhibited the DENV-2 sub-genomic replicon at 0.7 µM, in the absence of cytotoxicity. In addition, JNJ-1A showed equipotent antiviral activity against DENV serotypes 1, 2, and 4. In vitro resistance selection experiments with JNJ-1A induced mutation T108I in non-structural protein 4B (NS4B), pointing towards a mechanism of action linked to this protein. Collectively, we described the discovery and characterization of a novel DENV inhibitor potentially targeting NS4B.
Assuntos
Antivirais/farmacologia , Vírus da Dengue/efeitos dos fármacos , Farmacorresistência Viral/genética , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/genética , Replicação Viral/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Antivirais/química , Antivirais/farmacocinética , Antivirais/toxicidade , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Chlorocebus aethiops , Dengue , Vírus da Dengue/genética , Vírus da Dengue/fisiologia , Descoberta de Drogas , Farmacorresistência Viral/efeitos dos fármacos , Hepacivirus/genética , Humanos , Mutação , RNA Viral/genética , Replicon/efeitos dos fármacos , Análise de Sequência de RNA , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequenas , Células VeroRESUMO
We have previously developed a linker technology for half-life extension of peptides, proteins and small molecule drugs (1). The linkers undergo ß-elimination reactions with predictable cleavage rates to release the native drug. Here we utilize this technology for half-life extension of the 38 amino acid HIV-1 fusion inhibitor TRI-1144. Conjugation of TRI-1144 to 40 kDa PEG by an appropriate ß-eliminative linker and i.v. administration of the conjugate increased the in vivo half-life of the released peptide from 4 to 34 h in the rat, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were in excellent accord with a one-compartment model. From these data we simulated the pharmacokinetics of the PEG-TRI-1144 conjugate in humans, predicting a t1/2,ß of 70 h for the released peptide, and that a serum concentration of 25 nM could be maintained by weekly doses of 8 µmol of the conjugate. Using a non-circulating carrier (2) similar simulations indicated a t1/2,ß of 150 h for the peptide released from the conjugate and that dosing of only 1.8 µmol/week could maintain serum concentrations of TRI-1144 above 25 nM. Hence, releasable ß-eliminative linkers provide significant half-life extension to TRI-1144 and would be expected to do likewise for related peptides.