psi-6130 and Hepatitis-C

The first synthesis of 1'-C-CN, 2'-F, 2'-C-Me pyrimidines is described. Anti-HCV activity was assessed and compared to the 1'-C-CN, 2'-C-Me as well as the 2'-F, 2'-C-Me pyrimidines. A phosphoramidate prodrug of the cytidine derivative showed activity in the low micromolar range against HCV replicons.

Topics: Amides; Antiviral Agents; Cell Line; Halogenation; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Humans; Methylation; Phosphoric Acids; Prodrugs; Pyrimidine Nucleosides; Replicon; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

Recent advances in the development of agents that act specifically to inhibit hepatitis C virus (HCV) are set to fundamentally change the way that patients will be treated. New directly acting anti-HCV agents such as protease and polymerase inhibitors will initially be added to standard of care with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin. However, future therapy is likely to constitute combinations of agents which act at distinct stages of viral replication and have differing resistance profiles. While directly acting anti-HCV agents will undoubtedly improve treatment outcomes, the introduction of combination therapy may not be without complications in some patient groups. HIV-positive patients who are receiving antiretrovirals (ARVs) are relatively highly represented among those with HCV infection, and are at high risk of drug-drug interactions (DDIs). As combination anti-HCV treatment gradually evolves to resemble anti-HIV therapy, it is essential to consider the increased potential for DDIs in patients receiving combination anti-HCV therapy, and particularly in HCV/HIV-co-infected individuals. Therapeutic drug monitoring is likely to play a role in the clinical management of such interactions.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Antiviral Agents; Clinical Trials as Topic; Deoxycytidine; Drug Interactions; Drug Monitoring; Drug Therapy, Combination; Hepatitis C; HIV Infections; Humans; Oligopeptides; Proline

Beta-D-2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-2'-C-methylcytidine (PSI-6130) is a potent specific inhibitor of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA synthesis in Huh-7 replicon cells. To inhibit the HCV NS5B RNA polymerase, PSI-6130 must be phosphorylated to the 5'-triphosphate form. The phosphorylation of PSI-6130 and inhibition of HCV NS5B were investigated. The phosphorylation of PSI-6130 by recombinant human 2'-deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and uridine-cytidine kinase 1 (UCK-1) was measured by using a coupled spectrophotometric reaction. PSI-6130 was shown to be a substrate for purified dCK, with a Km of 81 microM and a kcat of 0.007 s-1, but was not a substrate for UCK-1. PSI-6130 monophosphate (PSI-6130-MP) was efficiently phosphorylated to the diphosphate and subsequently to the triphosphate by recombinant human UMP-CMP kinase and nucleoside diphosphate kinase, respectively. The inhibition of wild-type and mutated (S282T) HCV NS5B RNA polymerases was studied. The steady-state inhibition constant (Ki) for PSI-6130 triphosphate (PSI-6130-TP) with the wild-type enzyme was 4.3 microM. Similar results were obtained with 2'-C-methyladenosine triphosphate (Ki=1.5 microM) and 2'-C-methylcytidine triphosphate (Ki=1.6 microM). NS5B with the S282T mutation, which is known to confer resistance to 2'-C-methyladenosine, was inhibited by PSI-6130-TP as efficiently as the wild type. Incorporation of PSI-6130-MP into RNA catalyzed by purified NS5B RNA polymerase resulted in chain termination.

Topics: Antiviral Agents; Catalysis; Deoxycytidine; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Humans; Mutation; Phosphorylation; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; RNA, Viral; Structure-Activity Relationship; Viral Nonstructural Proteins; Virus Replication