Fragment-Based Discovery of Dual JC Virus and BK Virus Helicase Inhibitors.

There are currently no treatments for life-threatening infections caused by human polyomaviruses JCV and BKV. We therefore report herein the first crystal structure of the hexameric helicase of JCV large T antigen (apo) and its use to drive the structure-based design of dual JCV and BKV ATP-competitive inhibitors. The crystal structures obtained by soaking our early inhibitors into the JCV helicase allowed us to rapidly improve the biochemical activity of our inhibitors from 18 μM for the early 6-(2-methoxyphenyl)- and the 6-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole hits 1a and 1b to 0.

Cocrystalline Solids of Telaprevir with Enhanced Oral Absorption.

A combination of coformer screening and modeling, followed by characterization using calorimetry, structure elucidation, and solubility led to the identification of novel crystalline forms of the hepatitis C protease inhibitor, telaprevir. The lead crystalline form, a cocrystalline solid of telaprevir with 4-aminosalycilic acid, was identified among the list of possible cocrystals via modeling and confirmed by initial screening. It displayed the most significant aqueous solubility improvement over the neat crystalline form.