Ultrapotent Inhibitor of Clostridioides difficile Growth, Which Suppresses Recurrence In Vivo

J Med Chem. 2020 Oct 22;63(20):11934-11944. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01198. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

Abstract

Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infection in the U.S. and considered an urgent threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only two antibiotics, vancomycin and fidaxomicin, are FDA-approved for the treatment of C. difficile infection (CDI), but these therapies still suffer from high treatment failure and recurrence. Therefore, new chemical entities to treat CDI are needed. Trifluoromethylthio-containing N-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)benzamides displayed very potent activities [sub-μg/mL minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values] against Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we report remarkable antibacterial activity enhancement via halogen substitutions, which afforded new anti-C. difficile agents with ultrapotent activities [MICs as low as 0.003 μg/mL (0.007 μM)] that surpassed the activity of vancomycin against C. difficile clinical isolates. The most promising compound in the series, HSGN-218, is nontoxic to mammalian colon cells and is gut-restrictive. In addition, HSGN-218 protected mice from CDI recurrence. Not only does this work provide a potential clinical lead for the development of C. difficile therapeutics but also highlights dramatic drug potency enhancement via halogen substitution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Clostridioides difficile / drug effects*
  • Clostridioides difficile / growth & development
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Structure
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents