Small molecule inhibitors of anthrax edema factor.

Anthrax is a highly lethal disease caused by the Gram-(+) bacteria Bacillus anthracis. Edema toxin (ET) is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of disease in humans exposed to B. anthracis.

Virtual medicinal chemistry: in silico pre-docking functional group transformation for discovery of novel inhibitors of botulinum toxin serotype A light chain.

A novel method for applying high-throughput docking to challenging metalloenzyme targets is described. The method utilizes information-based virtual transformation of library carboxylates to hydroxamic acids prior to docking, followed by compound acquisition, one-pot (two steps) chemical synthesis and in vitro screening. In two experiments targeting the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A metalloprotease light chain, hit rates of 32% and 18% were observed.

Antidotes to anthrax lethal factor intoxication. Part 2: structural modifications leading to improved in vivo efficacy.

New anthrax lethal factor inhibitors (LFIs) were designed based upon previously identified potent inhibitors 1a and 2. Combining the new core structures with modifications to the C2-side chain yielded analogs with improved efficacy in the rat lethal toxin model.

Antidotes to anthrax lethal factor intoxication. Part 1: Discovery of potent lethal factor inhibitors with in vivo efficacy.

Sub-nanomolar small molecule inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor have been identified using SAR and Merck L915 (4) as a model compound. One of these compounds (16) provided 100% protection in a rat lethal toxin model of anthrax disease.