1. Academic Validation
  2. Non-Covalent Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease (PLpro): In Vitro and In Vivo Antiviral Activity

Non-Covalent Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease (PLpro): In Vitro and In Vivo Antiviral Activity

  • J Med Chem. 2024 Aug 5. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00378.
Ganga Reddy Velma 1 Zhengnan Shen 1 Cameron Holberg 1 Jiqiang Fu 1 Farinaz Soleymani 2 Laura Cooper 3 Omar Lozano Ramos 1 Divakar Indukuri 1 Soumya Reddy Musku 1 Pavel Rychetsky 1 Steve Slilaty 4 Zuomei Li 4 Kiira Ratia 5 Lijun Rong 3 Dominik Schenten 6 Rui Xiong 1 Gregory R J Thatcher 1 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, Arizona, United States.
  • 2 Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Colleges of Science and Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, Arizona, United States.
  • 3 Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago 60612, Illinois, United States.
  • 4 Sunshine Biopharma Inc, 333 Las Olas Way, CU4 Suite 433, Fort Lauderdale 33301, Florida, United States.
  • 5 Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago 60612, Illinois, United States.
  • 6 Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, Arizona, United States.
Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like Protease (PLpro), essential for viral processing and immune response disruption, is a promising target for treating acute Infection of SARS-CoV-2. To date, there have been no reports of PLpro inhibitors with both submicromolar potency and animal model efficacy. To address the challenge of PLpro's featureless active site, a noncovalent inhibitor library with over 50 new analogs was developed, targeting the PLpro active site by modulating the BL2-loop and engaging the BL2-groove. Notably, compounds 42 and 10 exhibited strong Antiviral effects and were further analyzed pharmacokinetically. 10, in particular, showed a significant lung accumulation, up to 12.9-fold greater than plasma exposure, and was effective in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 Infection, as well as against several SARS-CoV-2 variants. These findings highlight the potential of 10 as an in vivo chemical probe for studying PLpro inhibition in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

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