Novel Compounds for Inhibiting Viral Replication and Treating and/or Preventing Coronavirus Infections

Abstract

Provided herein are novel compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, use of such compounds in inhibiting viral replication and treating and/or preventing coronavirus infections, and processes for preparing such compounds.

Important Compound Classes

Title

Coronavirus Inhibiting Compounds

Patent Publication Number

WO 2025/146502 A1

URL: https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2025146502A1/en

Publication Date

July 10, 2025

Priority Application

US 63/617,820

Priority Date

January 5, 2024

Inventors

Martinez Saavedra, L.; Gomez Pulido, J. E.; Marsili, S.; Buyck, C. F. R. N.; Jouffroy, M. D.; Van Gool, M. L. M.; Sankara Warrier, J.; Jonckers, T. H. M.; Jimenez Mayorga, J. M.; Van Loock, M.; Xie, J.

Assignee Company

Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Belgium

Disease Area

Coronavirus infections

Biological Target

SARS-CoV-2

Summary

Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can be mild, like the common cold, to severe. Some respiratory tract infections caused by coronaviruses can be lethal to humans, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS, caused by SARS-CoV-1), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and Coronaviruses Disease 2019 (COVID-19 caused by SARS coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2). Various mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2 have been identified, including the Delta variant and the Omicron variant.

The present application describes a series of novel compounds for inhibiting viral replication and treating and/or preventing coronavirus infections. Further, the application discloses compounds, their preparation, use, pharmaceutical composition, and treatment.

Definitions

X = -(CO)-NH- or -NH-(CO)-;

R₁ = H, C_1–6 alkyl, C_1–6 alkyl substituted with hydroxy, amino or mono or di­(C_1–4 alkyl)­amino, C_1–4 alkyl-oxy-C_1–4 alkyl, -L₂R₅, -L₁-L₂-R₆ or -L₂-L₁-R₆, -L₁-R₇ or -L₁-O-R₇ or -SO₂-R₈;

R₂ = H, halo, C_1–4 alkyl or C_1–4 alkoxy;

R₃ = H, halo, C_1–4 alkyl, C_1–4 alkoxy and polyhaloC_1–4 alkyl;

R₄ = C_3–6 cycloalkyl or phenyl;

n = 1, 2, or 3.

Key Structures

Biological Assay

The antiviral activity assay to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in A549-hACE2 cells was performed. The compounds described in this application were tested for their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 EC₅₀ (μM) values are shown in the following Table.

Biological Data

The Table below shows representative compounds that were tested for SARS-CoV-2 inhibition. The biological data obtained from testing representative examples are listed in the following Table.

Claims

Total claims: 19

Compound claims: 12

Pharmaceutical composition claims: 3

Method of treatment claims: 1

Method of inhibiting claims: 3

Recent Review Articles

See References − .

The author declares no competing financial interest.

Published as part of ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters special issue “Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology of Antiviral Drugs”.