Hepatitis C NS3 protease inhibitors

Abstract

Using computational methods based on the data obtained with a series of depsipeptide substrates, a pharmacophore profile of the pockets on the non-prime side of the catalytic centre was generated. Three pharmacophore motifs were described, consisting of at least four chemical functionalities interacting with four pockets of the enzyme and catalyst active sites. Compounds possessing this motif were shown to be inhibitors of hepatitis NS3 protease. The peptidic substrates and inhibitors described were synthesised using standard Fmoc peptide synthesis techniques.

• hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor design
• HCV protease inhibitors
• hepatitis C NS3 protease inhibitors
• pharmacophore motif
• serine protease inhibitors