Rational design of a new class of protease inhibitors for the potential treatment of coronavirus diseases

The coronavirus main protease, M^pro, is a key protein in the virus life cycle and a major drug target. Based on crystal structures of SARSCoV2 M^procomplexed with peptidomimetic inhibitors, we recognized a binding characteristic shared with proline-containing inhibitors of hepatitis C virus protease. Initial tests showed that this subclass of HCV protease inhibitors indeed exhibited activity against M^pro. Postulating a benefit for a preorganized backbone conformation, we designed new ketoamide-based M^proinhibitors based on central proline rings. One of the designed compounds, ML1000, inhibits M^prowith low-nanomolar affinity and suppresses SARSCoV2 viral replication in human cells at sub-micromolar concentrations. Our findings identify ML1000 as a promising new pre-organized scaffold for the development of anti-coronavirus drugs.