Collaborative virtual screening to elaborate an imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine hit series for visceral leishmaniasis

An innovative pre-competitive virtual screening collaboration was engaged to validate and subsequently explore an imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine screening hit for visceral leishmaniasis. In silico probing of five proprietary pharmaceutical company libraries enabled rapid expansion of the hit chemotype, alleviating initial concerns about the core chemical structure while simultaneously improving antiparasitic activity and selectivity index relative to the background cell line. Subsequent hit optimization informed by the structure–activity relationship enabled by this virtual screening allowed thorough investigation of the pharmacophore, opening avenues for further improvement and optimization of the chemical series.

Ligand-based similarity screening of proprietary pharmaceutical company libraries enables rapid hit to lead investigation of a chemotype with anti-leishmania activity.

Efficacy of oral E1210, a new broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action, in murine models of candidiasis, aspergillosis, and fusariosis

E1210 is a first-in-class, broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action-inhibition of fungal glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis. In this study, the efficacies of E1210 and reference antifungals were evaluated in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. Oral E1210 demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy in infections caused by Candida species, Aspergillus spp., and Fusarium solani. In the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis, E1210 and fluconazole each caused a significantly greater reduction in the number of oral CFU than the control treatment (P < 0.05). In the disseminated candidiasis model, mice treated with E1210, fluconazole, caspofungin, or liposomal amphotericin B showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also highly effective in treating disseminated candidiasis caused by azole-resistant Candida albicans or Candida tropicalis. A 24-h delay in treatment onset minimally affected the efficacy outcome of E1210 in the treatment of disseminated candidiasis. In the Aspergillus flavus pulmonary aspergillosis model, mice treated with E1210, voriconazole, or caspofungin showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also effective in the treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus pulmonary aspergillosis. In contrast to many antifungals, E1210 was also effective against disseminated fusariosis caused by F. solani. In conclusion, E1210 demonstrated consistent efficacy in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. These data suggest that further studies to determine E1210's potential for the treatment of disseminated fungal infections are indicated.

In vitro activity of E1210, a novel antifungal, against clinically important yeasts and molds

E1210 is a new antifungal compound with a novel mechanism of action and broad spectrum of antifungal activity. We investigated the in vitro antifungal activities of E1210 compared to those of fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, and micafungin against clinical fungal isolates. E1210 showed potent activities against most Candida spp. (MIC(90) of ≤0.008 to 0.06 μg/ml), except for Candida krusei (MICs of 2 to >32 μg/ml). E1210 showed equally potent activities against fluconazole-resistant and fluconazole-susceptible Candida strains. E1210 also had potent activities against various filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus (MIC(90) of 0.13 μg/ml). E1210 was also active against Fusarium solani and some black molds. Of note, E1210 showed the greatest activities against Pseudallescheria boydii (MICs of 0.03 to 0.13 μg/ml), Scedosporium prolificans (MIC of 0.03 μg/ml), and Paecilomyces lilacinus (MICs of 0.06 μg/ml) among the compounds tested. The antifungal action of E1210 was fungistatic, but E1210 showed no trailing growth of Candida albicans, which has often been observed with fluconazole. In a cytotoxicity assay using human HK-2 cells, E1210 showed toxicity as low as that of fluconazole. Based on these results, E1210 is likely to be a promising antifungal agent for the treatment of invasive fungal infections.

Medicinal genetics approach towards identifying the molecular target of a novel inhibitor of fungal cell wall assembly

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored cell wall mannoproteins are required for the adhesion of pathogenic fungi, such as Candida albicans, to human epithelium. Small molecular inhibitors of the cell surface presentation of GPI-anchored mannoproteins would be promising candidate drugs to block the establishment of fungal infections. Here, we describe a medicinal genetics approach to identifying the gene encoding a novel target protein that is required for the localization of GPI-anchored cell wall mannoproteins. By means of a yeast cell-based screening procedure, we discovered a compound, 1-[4-butylbenzyl]isoquinoline (BIQ), that inhibits cell wall localization of GPI-anchored mannoproteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Treatment of C. albicans cells with this compound resulted in reduced adherence to a rat intestine epithelial cell monolayer. A previously uncharacterized gene YJL091c, named GWT1, was cloned as a dosage-dependent suppressor of the BIQ-induced phenotypes. GWT1 knock-out cells showed similar phenotypes to BIQ-treated wild-type cells in terms of cell wall structure and transcriptional profiles. Two different mutants resistant to BIQ each contained a single missense mutation in the coding region of the GWT1 gene. These results all suggest that the GWT1 gene product is the primary target of the compound.

Newer antipseudomonal cephalosporins

The in vitro antipseudomonal activity of eight cephalosporins with alpha-oxyimino-aminothiazolyl or aminothiadiazolyl group in the 7 beta-side chain and the quaternary ammonium moiety in the 3-position was evaluated. The order of antipseudomonal potency of these cephalosporins was as follows: cefaclidine > or = FK-518 > cefluprenam = cefozopran > or = ceftazidime > or = cefepime > cefpirome > or = cefoselis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains derepressed for the chromosomally mediated beta-lactamase (cephalosporinase) production were relatively susceptible to cefaclidine and FK-518, but were resistant to six other cephalosporins. P. aeruginosa strains producing the OXA-1-like penicillinase were resistant to cefaclidine, cefepime, and cefpirome, whose frequency was still lower. The higher antipseudomonal activity of these compounds than that of cefotaxime and some differences in activity among these compounds were suggested to result from cephalosporinase stability due to their low affinity for enzyme coupled with resistance to enzyme hydrolysis, assuming that the outer membrane permeation rates of compounds and their affinities for essential penicillin-binding proteins were almost the same. The aminothiadiazolyl cephalosporins showed higher antipseudomonal activity than the corresponding aminothiazolyl counterparts. This was also suggested to result from the same hypothesis as described above.

Cefclidin (E1040), a novel cephalosporin: lack of selection of beta-lactamase overproducing mutants in an in vitro pharmacokinetic model system

The bactericidal activity of cefclidin (E1040), a new cephalosporin, against a clinical strain of Citrobacter freundii was compared with that of ceftazidime in a two-compartment in vitro pharmacokinetic model system designed to simulate plasma concentrations in humans for 12 hours after intravenous administration of a 1 g dose. Both cefclidin and ceftazidime showed rapid bactericidal activity against C. freundii. However, during the simulation of ceftazidime treatment, regrowth was observed after two hours and a subpopulation emerged which was resistant to ceftazidime. Neither regrowth nor the emergence of resistant mutants was observed with cefclidin during the 12-hour simulation. The ceftazidime-resistant mutants constitutively overproduced beta-lactamase at levels which were about 500-fold higher than that of the parent wild-type strain. Against this beta-lactamase overproducing mutant, no bactericidal activity of ceftazidime was observed in the in vitro model system, whereas the bactericidal activity of cefclidin was observed during the 12-hour period. The emergence of Enterobacter cloacae mutants derepressed for beta-lactamase production was also observed with ceftazidime but not cefclidin. The affinity of cefclidin for the beta-lactamase isolated from these mutants was lower than that of ceftazidime, and the kinetic parameters of enzymatic hydrolysis showed that cefclidin was hydrolyzed more slowly at a low concentration (0.2 microM) than was ceftazidime. It is suggested that the high activity of cefclidin against strains derepressed for beta-lactamase plays a major role in the absence of emergence of resistant mutants.

E-0702, a new cephalosporin, is incorporated into Escherichia coli cells via the tonB-dependent iron transport system

E-0702, a new cephalosporin with a potent antipseudomonal action, was synthesized. In the study of the mode of action of this antibiotic in Escherichia coli, it was found that mutants which acquired resistance to E-0702 were isolated spontaneously and could be shown to be susceptible to its closely related derivatives, E-0702-060 and E-0702-061, and other representative beta-lactam antibiotics. In these mutants, no increased production of beta-lactamase was detectable. No apparent differences between the resistant mutants and the parental strains were observed in the affinity of E-0702 for penicillin-binding proteins. Furthermore, no significant reduction in or loss of both OmpF and OmpC porin proteins in the outer membrane was observed. The mutation was mapped to the tonB gene, which is known to be essential for the iron transport system of bacteria. The bactericidal action of E-0702 was rapidly expressed against iron-starved cells in which the iron transport system was induced, whereas the bactericidal action against iron-supplemented cells was ineffective. It is suggested that E-0702 is incorporated into bacterial cells as a chelator of iron via the tonB-dependent iron transport system, after which its strong and rapid bactericidal action is manifested.