Thiazolidine and benzylidene thiazolidinedione inhibitors of mannosyltransferease as antifungal agents

Abstract

Two patent applications assigned to Oxford Glycosciences describe a large series of synthetic thiazolidines claimed as antifungal drugs that inhibit synthesis of the α-1,2-mannan component of the cell wall. The applications provide biological data that confirm their activity against intact yeast, but interpretation of the data is limited by the nuances of the assay and the use of a single mutant strain of Candida. However, as this represents a new target for antifungal therapy, demonstration of the utility of this class of compounds as antifungals would be of value.

• antifungal
• aspergillosiscandidiasis
• mannan
• mannoproteins