Scientists of the Zelinsky Institute are working on the development of hybrid molecules based on peroxides for the use in medicine

The emergence of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 caused by a SARS-CoV-2 virus has presented a challenge in the development of antiviral agents against this infectious disease.

Scientists from the Laboratory for the Study of Homolytic Reactions of the ZIOC together with colleagues from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany), within the framework of a joint RSF-DFG grant, have developed hybrid molecules based on artemisinin, synthetic peroxides (bridged tetraoxanes and tricyclic monoproxides), and quinoline. A number of structures demonstrated high inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro (EC50 13–19 μM) and no cytotoxic effect on Vero E6 cells (CC50 up to 110 μM). In addition, some hybrids showed high cytotoxic activity against K562 leukemia cancer cells. The results obtained will serve as the basis for the development of peroxide-based hybrid molecules against SARS-CoV-2 and oncological diseases.

Source:

Lars Herrmann, Ivan A. Yaremenko, Aysun Çapcı, Julia Struwe, Dhanir Tailor, Arpit Dheeraj, Jan Hodek, Yulia Yu. Belyakova, Peter S. Radulov, Jan Weber, Sanjay V. Malhotra, Alexander O. Terent’ev, Lutz Ackermann, Svetlana B. Tsogoeva Synthesis and in vitro Study of Artemisinin/Synthetic Peroxide-Based Hybrid Compounds against SARS-CoV-2 and Cancer. ChemMedChem, 2022, e202200005. DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200005.