Structure-based design of a benzodiazepine scaffold yields a potent allosteric inhibitor of hepatitis C NS5B RNA polymerase.
Vandyck, K., Cummings, M.D., Nyanguile, O., Boutton, C.W., Vendeville, S., McGowan, D., Devogelaere, B., Amssoms, K., Last, S., Rombauts, K., Tahri, A., Lory, P., Hu, L., Beauchamp, D.A., Simmen, K., Raboisson, P.(2009) J Med Chem 52: 4099-4102
- PubMed: 19507864 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jm9005548
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
3GNV, 3GNW - PubMed Abstract: 
HCV NS5B polymerase, an essential and virus-specific enzyme, is an important target for drug discovery. Using structure-based design, we optimized a 1,5-benzodiazepine NS5B polymerase inhibitor chemotype into a new sulfone-containing scaffold. The design yielded potent inhibitor (S)-4c (K(D) = 0.79 nM), which has approximately 20-fold greater affinity for NS5B than its carbonyl analogue (R)-2c.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Tibotec BVBA, Generaal de Wittelaan L 11B 3, B-2800 Mechelen, Belgium.