The Molecular Modeling and Drug Design lab, Headed by Dr. Asim Debnath, recently published their preclinical optimization study on 48 antiviral inhibitors in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. One of the inhibitors showed excellent antiviral potency (~100 nM against 55 HIV-1 clinical isolates) and a toxicity profile. This inhibitor also showed the right characteristics to be considered as a potential candidate for further preclinical development. Dr. Francesca Curreli is the first author, and Dr. Asim K Debnath is the communicating author of the article. The following comment by one of the reviewers of the article is noteworthy:
“This is a very important research in the HIV entry arena. It pursues a novel class of HIV attachment inhibitors with a unique pharmacophore. It is still in an early stage of identifying a clinical candidate. It is getting closer, promising and encouraging.”