Biolabile constructs for pronucleotide design

Design, synthesis and antiviral evaluation of 2'-C-methyl branched guanosine pronucleotides: the discovery of IDX184, a potent liver-targeted HCV polymerase inhibitor

BACKGROUND

Ribonucleoside analogs possessing a β-methyl substituent at the 2'-position of the d-ribose moiety have been previously discovered to be potent and selective inhibitors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication, their triphosphates acting as alternative substrate inhibitors of the HCV RdRp NS5B. Results/methodology: In this article, the authors detail the synthesis, anti-HCV evaluation in cell-based replicon assays and structure-activity relationships of several phosphoramidate diester derivatives of 2'-C-methylguanosine (2'-MeG).

CONCLUSION

The most promising compound, namely the O-[S-(hydroxyl)pivaloyl-2-thioethyl]{abbreviated as O-[(HO)tBuSATE)]} N-benzylamine phosphoramidate diester derivative (IDX184), was selected for further in vivo studies, and was the first clinical pronucleotide evaluated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C up to Phase II trials.

Syntheses and photodynamic properties of glucopyranoside-conjugated indium(III) porphyrins as a bifunctional agent

The glucopyranoside-conjugated porphyrins, H 2 TPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - OAcGlc } (1), [ InTPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - OAcGlc }] NO 3 (2), H 2 TPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - Glc } (3), [ InTPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - Glc ]- NO 3 (4) and ZnTPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - OAcGlc } (5) were synthesized, and characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, ESI-MS, UV-vis spectroscopies and elemental analyses. In the 1 H NMR spectrum of 2, two sets of signals were observed for H -atoms of the phenyl group of porphyrin, indicating that 2 has the axial chirality due to a NO 3 ion coordinating to the indium atom. Abilities of the singlet oxygen production of these porphyrins, investigated by using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) as a quencher, were higher than those of the free-based and zinc porphyrins, reflecting the heavy atom effect. The photodynamic properties of these porphyrin derivatives were investigated against COLO 679. All of the glucopyranoside-conjugated porphyrins exhibited the high photocytotoxicity compared with Laserphyrin®. Above all, 4 exhibited the highest photocytotoxicity, coinciding with the high abilities of this complex for the singlet oxygen production and the cell permeability.

Prodrug approaches to improving the oral absorption of antiviral nucleotide analogues

Nucleotide analogues have been well accepted as therapeutic agents active against a number of viruses. However, their use as antiviral agents is limited by the need for phosphorylation by endogenous enzymes, and if the analogue is orally administered, by low bioavailability due to the presence of an ionizable diacid group. To circumvent these limitations, a number of prodrug approaches have been proposed. The ideal prodrug achieves delivery of a parent drug by attachment of a non-toxic moiety that is stable during transport and delivery, but is readily cleaved to release the parent drug once at the target. Here, a brief overview of several promising prodrug strategies currently under development is given.

Aryl nucleoside H-phosphonates. Part 16: synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activity of di-aryl nucleoside phosphotriesters

Di-aryl nucleoside phosphotriesters have been explored as a new type of pronucleotides for the purpose of anti-HIV-1 therapy and efficient synthetic protocols, based on H-phosphonate chemistry, have been developed for the preparation of this class of compounds. It was found that anti-HIV-1 activity of the phosphotriesters bearing an antiviral nucleoside moiety (AZT, ddA) and also ddU was due, at least partially, to intracellular conversion into the corresponding nucleoside 5'-monophosphates, and their efficiency correlated well with the pK(a) values of the aryloxy groups present.

Synthesis of Novel Carbocyclic Nucleosides and Pro-Tides Derived from 4-Oxatricyclo[4.2.1.03,7]nonane-9-methanol

(1R*,2R*,3R*,6R*,7S*)-2-Amino-4-oxatricyclo[4.2.1.03,7]nonane-9-methanol (9) was prepared from (1R*,2R*,3R*,4S*)-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2,3-dimethanol by treatment with benzyl azidoformate followed by hydrogenolysis. The amine9was transformed to thymine and purine nucleoside analogues. The prepared analogues were converted to corresponding Pro-Tides by treatment with methylN-[chloro(phenoxy)phosphoryl]-L-alaninate in the presence of 1-methylimidazole ortert-butylmagnesium chloride.

Diastereoisomeric resolution of a pronucleotide using solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography: Application to a stereoselective decomposition kinetic in cell extracts

A stereospecific HPLC methodology has been developed for the diastereoisomeric resolution of a mononucleotide prodrug in cell extracts. This method involves the use of solid phase extraction on a C18 cartridge. Diastereoisomers and internal standard resolutions were performed on a cellulose based chiral column (Chiralcel OD-H) used in the normal phase mode. The method was validated in terms of specificity, recovery, linearity (diasteroisomers mixture concentration: 3-60 micromol L(-1)), precision and accuracy and detection limit (1.67 and 1.33 micromol L(-1) for first and second eluted diastereoisomer). This method was applied to the determination of the apparent rate constants of disappearance and half-lives of each stereoisomers. This permits to conclude to the stereoselectivity of the enzymatic activity involved in the decomposition pathway of 2.