An O-Benzyl Phosphonamidate Prodrug of Tenofovir for the Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

J Med Chem. 2022 Jul 14;65(13):9493-9505. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00869. Epub 2022 Jul 1.

Abstract

A series of new O-(substituted benzyl) phosphoramidate prodrugs of tenofovir for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections have been designed and synthesized. An investigation of structure-activity relationships revealed that the compound bearing an o-methylbenzyl group (1a) has the most potent in vitro anti-HBV activity. This prodrug (1a) was well-tolerated in KM mice via intragastric administration at a dosage of up to 1.5 g/kg. In DHBV-infected ducks, prodrug 1a displayed a good inhibitory effect on the viral DNA replication in both the serum and the liver in a time- and dose-dependent manner and did not cause any necrosis, hemorrhage, or inflammatory response in the animal livers. Further investigation demonstrated that prodrug 1a achieved a higher exposure of the bioactive metabolite (tenofovir diphosphate, TFV-DP) in the liver, the target organ for the treatment of HBV infection, than tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) did at an equimolar dose.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • DNA Replication
  • DNA, Viral
  • Hepatitis B virus / metabolism
  • Hepatitis B* / drug therapy
  • Mice
  • Prodrugs* / pharmacology
  • Prodrugs* / therapeutic use
  • Tenofovir / metabolism
  • Tenofovir / pharmacology
  • Tenofovir / therapeutic use
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • DNA, Viral
  • Prodrugs
  • Tenofovir
  • Alanine