Discovery of BI 207524, an Indole Diamide NS5B Thumb Pocket 1 Inhibitor with Improved Potency for the Potential Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection
作者:Pierre L. Beaulieu、Paul C. Anderson、Richard Bethell、Michael Bös、Yves Bousquet、Christian Brochu、Michael G. Cordingley、Gulrez Fazal、Michel Garneau、James R. Gillard、Stephen Kawai、Martin Marquis、Ginette McKercher、Marc-André Poupart、Timothy Stammers、Bounkham Thavonekham、Dominik Wernic、Jianmin Duan、George Kukolj
DOI:10.1021/jm501532z
日期:2014.12.11
The development of interferon-free regimens for the treatment of chronic HCV infection constitutes a preferred option that is expected in the future to provide patients with improved efficacy, better tolerability, and reduced risk for emergence of drug-resistant virus. We have pursued non-nucleoside NS5B polymerase allosteric inhibitors as combination partners with other direct acting antivirals (DAAs) having a complementary mechanism of action. Herein, we describe the discovery of a potent follow-up compound (BI 207524, 27) to the first thumb pocket 1 NS5B inhibitor to demonstrate antiviral activity in genotype 1 HCV infected patients, BILB 1941 (1). Cell-based replicon potency was significantly improved through electronic modulation of the pKa of the carboxylic acid function of the lead molecule. Subsequent ADME-PK optimization lead to 27, a predicted low clearance compound in man. The preclinical profile of inhibitor 27 is discussed, as well as the identification of a genotoxic metabolite that led to the discontinuation of the development of this compound.