Discovery of a Novel, First-in-Class, Orally Bioavailable Azaindole Inhibitor (VX-787) of Influenza PB2.
Clark, M.P., Ledeboer, M.W., Davies, I., Byrn, R.A., Jones, S.M., Perola, E., Tsai, A., Jacobs, M., Nti-Addae, K., Bandarage, U.K., Boyd, M.J., Bethiel, R.S., Court, J.J., Deng, H., Duffy, J.P., Dorsch, W.A., Farmer, L.J., Gao, H., Gu, W., Jackson, K., Jacobs, D.H., Kennedy, J.M., Ledford, B., Liang, J., Maltais, F., Murcko, M., Wang, T., Wannamaker, M.W., Bennett, H.B., Leeman, J.R., McNeil, C., Taylor, W.P., Memmott, C., Jiang, M., Rijnbrand, R., Bral, C., Germann, U., Nezami, A., Zhang, Y., Salituro, F.G., Bennani, Y.L., Charifson, P.S.(2014) J Med Chem 57: 6668-6678
- PubMed: 25019388 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jm5007275
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4NCE, 4NCM, 4P1U - PubMed Abstract: 
In our effort to develop agents for the treatment of influenza, a phenotypic screening approach utilizing a cell protection assay identified a series of azaindole based inhibitors of the cap-snatching function of the PB2 subunit of the influenza A viral polymerase complex. Using a bDNA viral replication assay (Wagaman, P. C., Leong, M. A., and Simmen, K. A. Development of a novel influenza A antiviral assay. J. Virol. Methods 2002, 105, 105-114) in cells as a direct measure of antiviral activity, we discovered a set of cyclohexyl carboxylic acid analogues, highlighted by VX-787 (2). Compound 2 shows strong potency versus multiple influenza A strains, including pandemic 2009 H1N1 and avian H5N1 flu strains, and shows an efficacy profile in a mouse influenza model even when treatment was administered 48 h after infection. Compound 2 represents a first-in-class, orally bioavailable, novel compound that offers potential for the treatment of both pandemic and seasonal influenza and has a distinct advantage over the current standard of care treatments including potency, efficacy, and extended treatment window.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. , 50 Northern Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States.