Yellow fever virus (YFV) is a human Flavivirus reemerging in parts of the world. While a vaccine is available, large outbreaks have recently occurred in Brazil and certain African countries. Development of an effective antiviral against YFV is crucial, as there is no available effective drug against YFV. We have identified several novel nucleoside analogs with potent antiviral activity against YFV with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values between 0.25 and 1 μM with selectivity indices over 100 in culture.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nucleoside inhibitors display pan-genotypic activity, a high barrier to the selection of resistant virus, and are some of the most potent direct-acting agents with durable sustained virologic response in humans. Herein, we report, the discovery of β-D-2′-Br,2′-F-uridine phosphoramidate diastereomers 27 and 28, as nontoxic pangenotypic anti-HCV agents. Extensive profiling of these two phosphorous diastereomers was performed to select one for in-depth preclinical profiling. The 5′-triphosphate formed from these phosphoramidates selectively inhibited HCV NS5B polymerase with no inhibition of human polymerases and cellular mitochondrial RNA polymerase up to 100 μM. Both are nontoxic by a variety of measures and display good stability in human blood and favorable metabolism in human intestinal microsomes and liver microsomes. Ultimately, a preliminary oral pharmacokinetics study in male beagles showed that 28 is superior to 27 and is an attractive candidate for further studies to establish its potential value as a new clinical anti-HCV agent.
Synthesis and anti-HCV activity of β-D-2′-deoxy-2′-α-chloro-2′-βfluoro and β-D-2′-deoxy-2′-α-bromo-2′-β-fluoro nucleosides and their phosphoramidate prodrugs
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