Download MendeleyStructure-based discovery of highly bioavailable, covalent, broad-spectrum coronavirus M Pro inhibitors with potent in vivo efficacy.
Detomasi, T.C., Degotte, G., Huang, S., Suryawanshi, R.K., Diallo, A., Lizzadro, L., Zapatero-Belinchon, F.J., Taha, T.Y., Li, J., Richards, A.L., Hantz, E.R., Alam, Z., Montano, M., McCavitt-Malvido, M., Gumpena, R., Partridge, J.R., Correy, G.J., Matsui, Y., Charvat, A.F., Glenn, I.S., Rosecrans, J., Revalde, J.L., Anderson, D., Hultquist, J.F., Arkin, M.R., Neitz, R.J., Swaney, D.L., Krogan, N.J., Shoichet, B.K., Verba, K.A., Ott, M., Renslo, A.R., Craik, C.S.(2025) Sci Adv 11: eadt7836-eadt7836
- PubMed: 40267184
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adt7836
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
9MVM, 9MVO, 9MVP, 9MVQ - PubMed Abstract:
The main protease (M Pro ) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a validated drug target. Starting with a lead-like dihydrouracil chemotype identified in a large-library docking campaign, we improved M Pro inhibition >1000-fold by engaging additional M Pro subsites and using a latent electrophile to engage Cys 145 . Advanced leads from this series show pan-coronavirus antiviral activity, low clearance in mice, and for AVI-4773 , a rapid reduction in viral titers >1,000,000 after just three doses. Both compounds are well distributed in mouse tissues, including brain, where concentrations >1000× the 90% effective concentration are observed 8 hours after oral dosing for AVI-4773 . AVI-4516 shows minimal inhibition of major cytochrome P450s and human proteases. AVI-4516 also exhibits synergy with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, molnupiravir, in cellular infection models. Related analogs strongly inhibit nirmatrelvir-resistant M Pro mutant virus. The properties of this chemotype are differentiated from existing clinical and preclinical M Pro inhibitors and will advance therapeutic development against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and other coronaviruses.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
