Out-licensing

A family of 18-aminoacide peptides derived from the envelope protein E1 of the hepatitis virus G prevent the membrane fusion induced by the HIV-1 protein gp41, thus showing potential as AIDS drugs/ vaccines.

Current therapy for treatment of AIDS is mainly based in a combination of antiretroviral drugs that act on the enzymes codified by HIV-1 virus (protease, reverse transcriptase). Alternatively, prevention of infection and replication of the virus in the host cell using fusion inhibitors is becoming an interesting complementary therapy.

On the other hand, coinfection of HIV-1 virus with GB virus C or hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) delay progression of HIV infected patients. Recently, it has been demonstrated that addition of envelope glicoproteins of GBV-C / HGV inhibit stages prior to VIH replication, such as binding and fusion to the host cell membrane. Thus, a family of peptides belonging to the E1 glicoprotein sequence of GBV-C/HGV virus has been synthesised, showing capacity to inhibit the fusion peptide of the HIV-1 glycoprotein gp41, preventing its activation and thereby preventing infection of the host cell, with 60-93% inhibition at 100 mM.

Use of these compounds for viral fusion and entry inhibition can be applicable in combined therapies or when resistance to retroviral drugs is observed.

Technical features and commercial advantages

• Unlike most of antiretrovirals in the market, these compounds act before to the entrance of the virus into the cell avoiding cell infection. They can exert a preventive effect similarly to a vaccine
• Smaller peptides than the unique approved fusion peptide inhibitor (Enfuvirtide)
• Low systemic toxicity
• Possibility to achieve structure modifications in order to mimic different substrates or epitopes
• Application in combination to other therapies to overcome resistance of the current retroviral drugs

Early Stage

Priority patent applied for

Patent licence (exclusive conditions are preferred but other approaches can be discussed)

P200930045