An announcement hinting at the possibility of an all-oral hepatitis C treatment had researchers a buzz last week. Pharmasset, a Princeton, NJ company specializing in antiviral discovery, alluded to upcoming conference data that suggested a combination of ribavirin (a generic antiviral) and Pharmasset’s experimental pill PSI-7977 lowered viral counts to near-undetectable levels in a ten-patient trial (kudos to Adam Feuerstein of The Street for initial reports. . . here at The Haystack, editor Lisa Jarvis has also tracked HCV drug development for some time now).
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a chronic liver virus with an estimated 180 million infected worldwide. Two relatively new extermination options are available: Merck’s Victrelis (boceprevir) and Vertex’s Incivek (telaprevir), approved by the FDA ten days apart last year. Unfortunately, though both drugs are administered orally, each requires co-administration of injected interferon, which can cause severe fatigue and flu-like symptoms. Both oral drugs inhibit the same enzyme: the NS3 protease, which drags down a patient’s immunity and helps the virus to produce new copies of its proteins.
In contrast, the ribavirin and PSI-7977 combination involves no injections, making it easier for patients to follow the appropriate medication schedule, and lessening side effects. The PSI compound also clips a different target: NS5B polymerase, an RNA enzyme that helps viral genetic replication. In addition, the PSI-7977 is “pan-genotypic,” meaning it inhibits several genetically different strains of HCV.
A 2010 article (J. Med. Chem. 2010, 53, 7202) details the full story of PSI-7977’s synthesis. Notice anything interesting? It’s really a nucleotide strapped on to a P-chiral prodrug, a “protected” substance the body later converts to the active drug species. This P-chiral motif is seen more often in asymmetric phosphine ligands (compounds that stick to metal catalysts during reactions to modify catalyst activity) than in drug development – often chemists install drug chirality at carbon or sulfur instead. The initial drug lead was actually a mixture of both phosphorus enantiomers (“Sp” and “Rp”), until process chemists realized they could selectively crystallize out the more potent “Sp” product.
In the meantime, Pharmasset scientists haven’t stopped pushing their HCV portfolio forward: a recent paper (J. Org. Chem., 2011, 76, 3782) details a new lead: PSI-352938, a cyclic phosphate prodrug attached to a purine-fluororibose nucleotide warhead. The team credits this new prodrug design with a 10-100-fold increase in potency over the “naked” adenine drug for NS5B RNA polymerase inhibition. PSI-352938 recently completed a multiple ascending dose Phase I trial, in which a daily 200 mg dose brought HCV titres down below the detection limit in 5 of 8 patients.
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