An Orally Available 3-Ethoxybenzisoxazole Capsid Binder with Clinical Activity against Human Rhinovirus

Respiratory infections caused by human rhinovirus are responsible
for severe exacerbations of underlying clinical conditions such as
asthma in addition to their economic cost in terms of lost working
days due to illness. While several antiviral compounds for treating
rhinoviral infections have been discovered, none have succeeded, to
date, in reaching approval for clinical use. We have developed a potent,
orally available rhinovirus inhibitor 6 that has progressed
through early clinical trials. The compound shows favorable pharmacokinetic
and activity profiles and has a confirmed mechanism of action through
crystallographic studies of a rhinovirus−compound complex.
The compound has now progressed to phase IIb clinical studies of its
effect on natural rhinovirus infection in humans.