The compound was found to have significant activity against hepatitis C virus (HCV) under assay conditions designed to demonstrate inhibition of the virus entry process, using a newly available in vitro cell culture system that employs infectious and replicating virus.
The prototype compound belongs to an expanding class of compounds that has previously demonstrated activity against a related surrogate virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus.
Norman Abood, senior vice president, Discovery Programs at Immtech, said: “We aim to develop a compound with a novel mechanism of action that is complementary to the currently recognized treatments of HCV. Our latest findings provide an approach that will allow us to potentially identify a drug candidate with a new and complementary mechanism of action.”