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Shellenberger BM, Basile ON, Cassel J, Olsen MR, Salvino JM, Montaner LJ, Tietjen I, Henry GE. Synthesis, SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibition, molecular docking and in silico ADME studies of furanochromene-quinoline hydrazone derivatives. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 102:129679. [PMID: 38423371 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Seven furanochromene-quinoline derivatives containing a hydrazone linker were synthesized by condensing a furanochromene hydrazide with quinoline 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-carbaldehydes, including 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carbaldehye. Structure-activity correlations were investigated to determine the influence of the location of the hydrazone linker on the quinoline unit on SARS-CoV-2 Mpro enzyme inhibition. The 3-, 5-, 6- and 8-substituted derivatives showed moderate inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with IC50 values ranging from 16 to 44 μM. Additionally, all of the derivatives showed strong interaction with the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro substrate binding pocket, with docking energy scores ranging from -8.0 to -8.5 kcal/mol. These values are comparable to that of N3 peptide (-8.1 kcal/mol) and more favorable than GC-373 (-7.6 kcal/mol) and ML-188 (-7.5 kcal/mol), all of which are known SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. Furthermore, in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) profiles indicate that the derivatives have good drug-likeness properties. Overall, this study highlights the potential of the furanochromene-quinoline hydrazone scaffold as a SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake M Shellenberger
- Department of Chemistry, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA
| | - Olivia N Basile
- Department of Chemistry, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA
| | - Joel Cassel
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Morgan R Olsen
- Department of Chemistry, Bucknell University, One Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | | | | | - Ian Tietjen
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Geneive E Henry
- Department of Chemistry, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA.
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2
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Barchielli G, Capperucci A, Tanini D. Therapeutic cysteine protease inhibitors: a patent review (2018-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024; 34:17-49. [PMID: 38445468 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2327299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cysteine proteases are involved in a broad range of biological functions, ranging from extracellular matrix turnover to immunity. Playing an important role in the onset and progression of several diseases, including cancer, immune-related and neurodegenerative disease, viral and parasitic infections, cysteine proteases represent an attractive drug target for the development of therapeutic tools. AREAS COVERED Recent scientific and patent literature focusing on the design and study of cysteine protease inhibitors with potential therapeutic application has been reviewed. EXPERT OPINION The discovery of a number of effective structurally diverse cysteine protease inhibitors opened up new challenges and opportunities for the development of therapeutic tools. Mechanistic studies and the availability of X-ray crystal structures of some proteases, alone and in complex with inhibitors, provide crucial information for the rational design and development of efficient and selective cysteine protease inhibitors as preclinical candidates for the treatment of different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Barchielli
- Department of Chemistry 'Ugo Schiff', University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy
| | - Antonella Capperucci
- Department of Chemistry 'Ugo Schiff', University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy
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3
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Williams AH, Zhan CG. Staying Ahead of the Game: How SARS-CoV-2 has Accelerated the Application of Machine Learning in Pandemic Management. BioDrugs 2023; 37:649-674. [PMID: 37464099 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-023-00611-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, machine learning (ML) techniques have garnered considerable interest for their potential use in accelerating the rate of drug discovery. With the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, the utilization of ML has become even more crucial in the search for effective antiviral medications. The pandemic has presented the scientific community with a unique challenge, and the rapid identification of potential treatments has become an urgent priority. Researchers have been able to accelerate the process of identifying drug candidates, repurposing existing drugs, and designing new compounds with desirable properties using machine learning in drug discovery. To train predictive models, ML techniques in drug discovery rely on the analysis of large datasets, including both experimental and clinical data. These models can be used to predict the biological activities, potential side effects, and interactions with specific target proteins of drug candidates. This strategy has proven to be an effective method for identifying potential coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other disease treatments. This paper offers a thorough analysis of the various ML techniques implemented to combat COVID-19, including supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, and natural language processing. The paper discusses the impact of these techniques on pandemic drug development, including the identification of potential treatments, the understanding of the disease mechanism, and the creation of effective and safe therapeutics. The lessons learned can be applied to future outbreaks and drug discovery initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander H Williams
- Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
- GSK Upper Providence, 1250 S. Collegeville Road, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Chang-Guo Zhan
- Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
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4
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Brian Chia CS, Pheng Lim S. A Patent Review on SARS Coronavirus Papain-Like Protease (PL pro ) Inhibitors. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300216. [PMID: 37248169 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is an unprecedented global health emergency causing more than 6.6 million fatalities by 31 December 2022. So far, only three antiviral drugs have been granted emergency use authorisation or approved by the FDA. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro ) is deemed an attractive drug target as it plays an essential role in viral polyprotein processing and pathogenesis although no inhibitors have yet been approved. This patent review discusses coronavirus PLpro inhibitors reported in patents published between 1 January 2003 to 2 March 2023, giving an overview on the inhibitors that have generated commercial interest, especially amongst drug companies.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Brian Chia
- Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 10 Biopolis Road, Chromos #08-01, Singapore, 138670, Singapore
| | - Siew Pheng Lim
- Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 10 Biopolis Road, Chromos #08-01, Singapore, 138670, Singapore
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5
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Ruan Z, Tang J, Zeng M, Fan P. Virtual high-throughput screening: Potential inhibitors targeting aminopeptidase N (CD13) and PIKfyve for SARS-CoV-2. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220637. [PMID: 37426619 PMCID: PMC10329278 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus nearly 3 years ago, the world's public health has been under constant threat. At the same time, people's travel and social interaction have also been greatly affected. The study focused on the potential host targets of SARS-CoV-2, CD13, and PIKfyve, which may be involved in viral infection and the viral/cell membrane fusion stage of SARS-CoV-2 in humans. In this study, electronic virtual high-throughput screening for CD13 and PIKfyve was conducted using Food and Drug Administration-approved compounds in ZINC database. The results showed that dihydroergotamine, Saquinavir, Olysio, Raltegravir, and Ecteinascidin had inhibitory effects on CD13. Dihydroergotamine, Sitagliptin, Olysio, Grazoprevir, and Saquinavir could inhibit PIKfyve. After 50 ns of molecular dynamics simulation, seven compounds showed stability at the active site of the target protein. Hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces were formed with target proteins. At the same time, the seven compounds showed good binding free energy after binding to the target proteins, providing potential drug candidates for the treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijing Ruan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Jiaxi Tang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Mingtang Zeng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ping Fan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
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6
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In Silico Binding of 2-Aminocyclobutanones to SARS-CoV-2 Nsp13 Helicase and Demonstration of Antiviral Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065120. [PMID: 36982188 PMCID: PMC10049026 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The landscape of viral strains and lineages of SARS-CoV-2 keeps changing and is currently dominated by Delta and Omicron variants. Members of the latest Omicron variants, including BA.1, are showing a high level of immune evasion, and Omicron has become a prominent variant circulating globally. In our search for versatile medicinal chemistry scaffolds, we prepared a library of substituted ɑ-aminocyclobutanones from an ɑ-aminocyclobutanone synthon (11). We performed an in silico screen of this actual chemical library as well as other virtual 2-aminocyclobutanone analogs against seven SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins to identify potential drug leads against SARS-CoV-2, and more broadly against coronavirus antiviral targets. Several of these analogs were initially identified as in silico hits against SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 13 (Nsp13) helicase through molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Antiviral activity of the original hits as well as ɑ-aminocyclobutanone analogs that were predicted to bind more tightly to SARS-CoV-2 Nsp13 helicase are reported. We now report cyclobutanone derivatives that exhibit anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Furthermore, the Nsp13 helicase enzyme has been the target of relatively few target-based drug discovery efforts, in part due to a very late release of a high-resolution structure accompanied by a limited understanding of its protein biochemistry. In general, antiviral agents initially efficacious against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 strains have lower activities against variants due to heavy viral loads and greater turnover rates, but the inhibitors we are reporting have higher activities against the later variants than the wild-type (10–20X). We speculate this could be due to Nsp13 helicase being a critical bottleneck in faster replication rates of the new variants, so targeting this enzyme affects these variants to an even greater extent. This work calls attention to cyclobutanones as a useful medicinal chemistry scaffold, and the need for additional focus on the discovery of Nsp13 helicase inhibitors to combat the aggressive and immune-evading variants of concern (VOCs).
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Mohamed EAR, Abdel-Rahman IM, Zaki MEA, Al-Khdhairawi A, Abdelhamid MM, Alqaisi AM, Rahim LBA, Abu-Hussein B, El-Sheikh AAK, Abdelwahab SF, Hassan HA. In silico prediction of potential inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant using molecular docking and dynamics simulation-based drug repurposing. J Mol Model 2023; 29:70. [PMID: 36808314 PMCID: PMC9939377 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-023-05457-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In November 2021, variant B.1.1.529 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and designated Omicron. Omicron is characterized by a high number of mutations, thirty-two in total, making it more transmissible than the original virus. More than half of those mutations were found in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) that directly interacts with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This study aimed to discover potent drugs against Omicron, which were previously repurposed for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All repurposed anti-COVID-19 drugs were compiled from previous studies and tested against the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron. METHODS As a preliminary step, a molecular docking study was performed to investigate the potency of seventy-one compounds from four classes of inhibitors. The molecular characteristics of the best-performing five compounds were predicted by estimating the drug-likeness and drug score. Molecular dynamics simulations (MD) over 100 ns were performed to inspect the relative stability of the best compound within the Omicron receptor-binding site. RESULTS The current findings point out the crucial roles of Q493R, G496S, Q498R, N501Y, and Y505H in the RBD region of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron. Raltegravir, hesperidin, pyronaridine, and difloxacin achieved the highest drug scores compared with the other compounds in the four classes, with values of 81%, 57%, 18%, and 71%, respectively. The calculated results showed that raltegravir and hesperidin had high binding affinities and stabilities to Omicron with ΔGbinding of - 75.7304 ± 0.98324 and - 42.693536 ± 0.979056 kJ/mol, respectively. Further clinical studies should be performed for the two best compounds from this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eslam A. R. Mohamed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia, 61511 Egypt
| | - Islam M. Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, New-Minia, 61519 Minia Egypt
| | - Magdi E. A. Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Al-Khdhairawi
- Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor Malaysia
| | - Mahmoud M. Abdelhamid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Asyut, 71524 Egypt
| | - Ahmad M. Alqaisi
- Chemistry Department, University of Jordan, Amman, 11942 Jordan
- Present Address: School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Lyana binti Abd Rahim
- Department of Medicine, Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Najihah, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan Malaysia
| | - Bilal Abu-Hussein
- Albayader Specialty Hospital, Amman, Jordan
- Present Address: Department of General Surgery, Cumberland Infirmary Hospital, Carlisle, England
| | - Azza A. K. El-Sheikh
- Basic Health Sciences Department, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. 13 Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671 Saudi Arabia
| | - Sayed F. Abdelwahab
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, PO Box 11099, Taif, 21944 Saudi Arabia
| | - Heba Ali Hassan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sohag University, Sohag, 82524 Egypt
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8
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Halma MTJ, Wever MJA, Abeln S, Roche D, Wuite GJL. Therapeutic potential of compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2 helicase. Front Chem 2022; 10:1062352. [PMID: 36561139 PMCID: PMC9763700 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1062352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The economical and societal impact of COVID-19 has made the development of vaccines and drugs to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection a priority. While the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been widely explored as a drug target, the SARS-CoV-2 helicase (nsp13) does not have any approved medication. The helicase shares 99.8% similarity with its SARS-CoV-1 homolog and was shown to be essential for viral replication. This review summarizes and builds on existing research on inhibitors of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 helicases. Our analysis on the toxicity and specificity of these compounds, set the road going forward for the repurposing of existing drugs and the development of new SARS-CoV-2 helicase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T. J. Halma
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- LUMICKS B. V., Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mark J. A. Wever
- DCM, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Edelris, Lyon, France
| | - Sanne Abeln
- Department of Computer Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Gijs J. L. Wuite
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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9
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Ma L, Li Q, Xie Y, Jianyuan Zhao, Yi D, Guo S, Guo F, Wang J, Yang L, Cen S. Repurposing of HIV/HCV protease inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 3CL pro. Antiviral Res 2022; 207:105419. [PMID: 36155070 PMCID: PMC9499987 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathogen that caused the global COVID-19 outbreak. The 3C-like protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a key role in virus replication and has become an ideal target for antiviral drug design. In this work, we have employed bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) technology to establish a cell-based assay for screening inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, and then applied the assay to screen a collection of known HIV/HCV protease inhibitors. Our results showed that the assay is capable of quantification of the cleavage efficiency of 3CLpro with good reproducibility (Z' factor is 0.59). Using the assay, we found that 9 of 26 protease inhibitors effectively inhibited the activity of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro in a dose-dependent manner. Among them, four compounds exhibited the ability to bind to 3CLproin vitro. HCV protease inhibitor simeprevir showed the most potency against 3CLpro with an EC50 vale of 2.6 μM, bound to the active site pocket of 3CLpro in a predicted model, and importantly, exhibited a similar activity against the protease containing the mutations P132H in Omicron variants. Taken together, this work demonstrates the feasibility of using the cell-based BRET assay for screening 3CLpro inhibitors and supports the potential of simeprevir for the development of 3CLpro inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ma
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Quanjie Li
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Yongli Xie
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyuan Zhao
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Dongrong Yi
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Saisai Guo
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Guo
- Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
| | - Long Yang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.
| | - Shan Cen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
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Assmus F, Driouich JS, Abdelnabi R, Vangeel L, Touret F, Adehin A, Chotsiri P, Cochin M, Foo CS, Jochmans D, Kim S, Luciani L, Moureau G, Park S, Pétit PR, Shum D, Wattanakul T, Weynand B, Fraisse L, Ioset JR, Mowbray CE, Owen A, Hoglund RM, Tarning J, de Lamballerie X, Nougairède A, Neyts J, Sjö P, Escudié F, Scandale I, Chatelain E. Need for a Standardized Translational Drug Development Platform: Lessons Learned from the Repurposing of Drugs for COVID-19. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1639. [PMID: 36014057 PMCID: PMC9460261 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of drugs to treat or prevent COVID-19, drug repurposing can be a valuable strategy. Despite a substantial number of clinical trials, drug repurposing did not deliver on its promise. While success was observed with some repurposed drugs (e.g., remdesivir, dexamethasone, tocilizumab, baricitinib), others failed to show clinical efficacy. One reason is the lack of clear translational processes based on adequate preclinical profiling before clinical evaluation. Combined with limitations of existing in vitro and in vivo models, there is a need for a systematic approach to urgent antiviral drug development in the context of a global pandemic. We implemented a methodology to test repurposed and experimental drugs to generate robust preclinical evidence for further clinical development. This translational drug development platform comprises in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models of SARS-CoV-2, along with pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation approaches to evaluate exposure levels in plasma and target organs. Here, we provide examples of identified repurposed antiviral drugs tested within our multidisciplinary collaboration to highlight lessons learned in urgent antiviral drug development during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our data confirm the importance of assessing in vitro and in vivo potency in multiple assays to boost the translatability of pre-clinical data. The value of pharmacokinetic modeling and simulations for compound prioritization is also discussed. We advocate the need for a standardized translational drug development platform for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 to generate preclinical evidence in support of clinical trials. We propose clear prerequisites for progression of drug candidates for repurposing into clinical trials. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the scope and limitations of the presented translational drug development platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frauke Assmus
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Jean-Sélim Driouich
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Rana Abdelnabi
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Vangeel
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Franck Touret
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Ayorinde Adehin
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Palang Chotsiri
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Maxime Cochin
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Caroline S. Foo
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Seungtaek Kim
- Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13488, Korea
| | - Léa Luciani
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Grégory Moureau
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Soonju Park
- Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13488, Korea
| | - Paul-Rémi Pétit
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - David Shum
- Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13488, Korea
| | - Thanaporn Wattanakul
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Birgit Weynand
- Departmet of Imaging and Pathology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurent Fraisse
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Robert Ioset
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Charles E. Mowbray
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrew Owen
- Centre for Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZX, UK
| | - Richard M. Hoglund
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Xavier de Lamballerie
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Antoine Nougairède
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Johan Neyts
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Peter Sjö
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Fanny Escudié
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Scandale
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
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11
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Mosharaf MP, Kibria MK, Hossen MB, Islam MA, Reza MS, Mahumud RA, Alam K, Gow J, Mollah MNH. Meta-Data Analysis to Explore the Hub of the Hub-Genes That Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infections Highlighting Their Pathogenetic Processes and Drugs Repurposing. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081248. [PMID: 36016137 PMCID: PMC9415433 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 infections is a severe threat to human life and the world economic condition. Although vaccination has reduced the outspread, but still the situation is not under control because of the instability of RNA sequence patterns of SARS-CoV-2, which requires effective drugs. Several studies have suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 infection causing hub differentially expressed genes (Hub-DEGs). However, we observed that there was not any common hub gene (Hub-DEGs) in our analyses. Therefore, it may be difficult to take a common treatment plan against SARS-CoV-2 infections globally. The goal of this study was to examine if more representative Hub-DEGs from published studies by means of hub of Hub-DEGs (hHub-DEGs) and associated potential candidate drugs. In this study, we reviewed 41 articles on transcriptomic data analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and found 370 unique hub genes or studied genes in total. Then, we selected 14 more representative Hub-DEGs (AKT1, APP, CXCL8, EGFR, IL6, INS, JUN, MAPK1, STAT3, TNF, TP53, UBA52, UBC, VEGFA) as hHub-DEGs by their protein-protein interaction analysis. Their associated biological functional processes, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional regulatory factors. Then we detected hHub-DEGs guided top-ranked nine candidate drug agents (Digoxin, Avermectin, Simeprevir, Nelfinavir Mesylate, Proscillaridin, Linifanib, Withaferin, Amuvatinib, Atazanavir) by molecular docking and cross-validation for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Therefore, the findings of this study could be useful in formulating a common treatment plan against SARS-CoV-2 infections globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Parvez Mosharaf
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; (M.P.M.); (M.K.K.); (M.B.H.); (M.A.I.); (M.S.R.)
- School of Business, Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia; (K.A.); (J.G.)
| | - Md. Kaderi Kibria
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; (M.P.M.); (M.K.K.); (M.B.H.); (M.A.I.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Md. Bayazid Hossen
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; (M.P.M.); (M.K.K.); (M.B.H.); (M.A.I.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Md. Ariful Islam
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; (M.P.M.); (M.K.K.); (M.B.H.); (M.A.I.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Md. Selim Reza
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; (M.P.M.); (M.K.K.); (M.B.H.); (M.A.I.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Rashidul Alam Mahumud
- NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia;
| | - Khorshed Alam
- School of Business, Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia; (K.A.); (J.G.)
| | - Jeff Gow
- School of Business, Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia; (K.A.); (J.G.)
- School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Md. Nurul Haque Mollah
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; (M.P.M.); (M.K.K.); (M.B.H.); (M.A.I.); (M.S.R.)
- Correspondence:
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