The COVID-19 pandemic has given a strong impetus to the search for antivirals active on SARS-associated coronaviruses. Over these years, numerous vaccines have been developed and many of these are effective and clinically available. Similarly, small molecules and monoclonal antibodies have also been approved by the FDA and EMA for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients who could develop the severe form of COVID-19. Among the available therapeutic tools, the small molecule nirmatrelvir was approved in 2021. It is a drug capable of binding to the Mpro protease, an enzyme encoded by the viral genome and essential for viral intracellular replication. In this work, by virtual screening of a focused library of β-amido boronic acids, we have designed and synthesized a focused library of compounds. All of them were biophysically tested by microscale thermophoresis, attaining encouraging results. Moreover, they also displayed Mpro protease inhibitory activity, as demonstrated by performing enzymatic assays. We are confident that this study will pave the way for the design of new drugs potentially useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 viral infection.

Computational Design, Synthesis, and Biophysical Evaluation of β-Amido Boronic Acids as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Inhibitors / E.M.A. Fassi, M. Manenti, A. Citarella, M. Dei Cas, S. Casati, N. Micale, T. Schirmeister, G. Roda, A. Silvani, G. Grazioso. - In: MOLECULES. - ISSN 1420-3049. - 28:5(2023 Mar 03), pp. 2356.1-2356.18. [10.3390/molecules28052356]

Computational Design, Synthesis, and Biophysical Evaluation of β-Amido Boronic Acids as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Inhibitors

E.M.A. Fassi
Primo
;
M. Manenti
Secondo
;
A. Citarella;M. Dei Cas;S. Casati;G. Roda;A. Silvani
Penultimo
Conceptualization
;
G. Grazioso
Ultimo
Conceptualization
2023

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has given a strong impetus to the search for antivirals active on SARS-associated coronaviruses. Over these years, numerous vaccines have been developed and many of these are effective and clinically available. Similarly, small molecules and monoclonal antibodies have also been approved by the FDA and EMA for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients who could develop the severe form of COVID-19. Among the available therapeutic tools, the small molecule nirmatrelvir was approved in 2021. It is a drug capable of binding to the Mpro protease, an enzyme encoded by the viral genome and essential for viral intracellular replication. In this work, by virtual screening of a focused library of β-amido boronic acids, we have designed and synthesized a focused library of compounds. All of them were biophysically tested by microscale thermophoresis, attaining encouraging results. Moreover, they also displayed Mpro protease inhibitory activity, as demonstrated by performing enzymatic assays. We are confident that this study will pave the way for the design of new drugs potentially useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 viral infection.
drug design; MM-GBSA; boronic acids; multicomponent reactions; protease; SARS-CoV-2; Mpro;
Settore CHIM/08 - Chimica Farmaceutica
Settore CHIM/06 - Chimica Organica
3-mar-2023
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/956961
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