BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Infectious disease

January 11, 2017 12:52 AM UTC

Cell culture studies identified cajanine and its analogs as CSGALNACT1 inhibitors that could treat HCV infection. A human hepatoma cell line-based mRNA assay identified cajanine as an inhibitor of CSGALNACT1. Chemical synthesis and testing in a human hepatoma-based HCV replication assay yielded cajanine and multiple analogs that inhibited replication of wild-type HCV replication with IC50 values of 0.33-3.17 μM. Also in the assay, cajanine plus Daklinza daclatasvir, Olysio simeprevir or Sovaldi sofosbuvir synergistically decreased viral replication compared with any of the agents alone. Next steps could include testing cajanine and its analogs in a humanized mouse model of HCV infection.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. markets the HCV NS5A protein inhibitor Daklinza for HCV...