Discovery of a β-d-2'-deoxy-2'-α-fluoro-2'-β-C-methyluridine nucleotide prodrug (PSI-7977) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus

  • J Med Chem. 2010 Oct 14;53(19):7202-18. doi: 10.1021/jm100863x.
Michael J Sofia  1 ,  Donghui Bao ,  Wonsuk Chang ,  Jinfa Du ,  Dhanapalan Nagarathnam ,  Suguna Rachakonda ,  P Ganapati Reddy ,  Bruce S Ross ,  Peiyuan Wang ,  Hai-Ren Zhang ,  Shalini Bansal ,  Christine Espiritu ,  Meg Keilman ,  Angela M Lam ,  Holly M Micolochick Steuer ,  Congrong Niu ,  Michael J Otto ,  Phillip A Furman
Affiliations
  • 1. Pharmasset, Inc., 303A College Road East, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. [email protected]
PMID: 20845908 DOI: 10.1021/jm100863x
Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health problem requiring novel approaches for effective treatment of this disease. The HCV NS5B Polymerase has been demonstrated to be a viable target for the development of HCV therapies. β-d-2'-Deoxy-2'-α-fluoro-2'-β-C-methyl nucleosides are selective inhibitors of the HCV NS5B Polymerase and have demonstrated potent activity in the clinic. Phosphoramidate prodrugs of the 5'-phosphate derivative of the β-d-2'-deoxy-2'-α-fluoro-2'-β-C-methyluridine nucleoside were prepared and showed significant potency in the HCV subgenomic replicon assay (<1 μM) and produced high levels of triphosphate 6 in primary hepatocytes and in the Livers of rats, dogs, and monkeys when administered in vivo. The single diastereomer 51 of diastereomeric mixture 14 was crystallized, and an X-ray structure was determined establishing the phosphoramidate stereochemistry as Sp, thus correlating for the first time the stereochemistry of a phosphoramidate prodrug with biological activity. 51 (PSI-7977) was selected as a clinical development candidate.

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