Discovery of a new antiviral drug candidate that is expected to cure hepatitis B

December 26, 2023

Novel compound iCDM-34 inhibits the synthesis of viral genome

A research group of the Jikei University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Keio University, RIKEN CSRS, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, and Meiji Pharmaceutical University, has discovered iCDM-34, a new antiviral drug candidate that is expected to cure hepatitis B.

Nucleic acid analogue preparations currently used for the cure of hepatitis B have the effect of suppressing the replication of the virus, but they do not lead to a complete cure because the viral genome remains. In this study, the group found that iCDM-34 activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor 1 (AhR 1, aromatic hydrocarbon receptor) and suppresses the synthesis of the viral genome with a different mechanism from the conventional method. The finding demonstrated that iCDM-34 can be a new antiviral drug candidate that is expected to completely cure hepatitis B when used in combination with nucleic acid analogue preparations. iCDM-34 can be also developed as an inhibitor against various viruses such as HIV and the novel coronavirus.

Original article

Cell Death Discovery doi: 10.1038/s41420-023-01755-w

Y. Furutani, Y. Hirano, M. Toguchi, S. Higuchi, X.-Y. Qin, K. Yanaka, Y. Sato-Shiozaki, N. Takahashi, M. Sakai, P. Kongpracha, T. Suzuki, N. Dohmae, M. Kukimoto-Niino, M. Shirouzu, S. Nagamori, H. Suzuki, K. Kobayashi, T. Masaki, H. Koyama, K. Sekiba, M. Otsuka, K. Koike, M. Kohara, S. Kojima, H. Kakeya, T. Matsuura,

"A small molecule iCDM-34 identified by in silico screening suppresses HBV DNA through activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor".

Contact

Naoshi Dohmae
Unit Leader
Biomolecular Characterization Unit