Currently our work concentrates on ricin chain A inhibitors and antivirals. The ricin inhibitors are intended as post-exposure treapeutics against ricin poisoning. Several of our compounds exhibit the in vitro activity in the low nanomolar range of concentrations.
Two viral attachment inhibitors (Influenza A and HIV-1) developed with the support of an NSF SBIR grant (Award #1013428, PI Czyryca, P. G.), have been recently (2010) added to our portfolio. The influenza inhibitor represents a major scientific breakthrough - it is the first small molecule antagonist of the sialic acid, capable of competing with the cooperativity-assisted binding of HA to the natural receptor in drug-like concentrations (EC50<34 nM). The HIV attachment inhibitor, targetting the highly conserved region of gp-120, offers a promise of a slow development of drug resistance.
Image: structure of one of our viral attachment inhibitors (HIV-1).