Inte:Ligand joins EU-funded research project ‘FluInhibit’
Date: Monday, June 9th, 2008
Categories: Business, Science
In view of the very few efficacious drugs against influenza virus infections and the time it takes to develop a matching vaccine, there is an unmet worldwide need for new anti-influenza drugs. The viral enzyme that replicates the genetic material (RNA polymerase complex) is an attractive target for inhibition of the virus. However, due to the absence of detailed information about its structure and the functions of its subunits, inhibitors of RNA polymerase developed as drug candidates are extremely scarce so far. Based on the recent promising finding of a peptide that – by interfering with the interaction of two enzyme subunit – blocks its activity and viral spread, FLUINHIBIT aims at discovering small molecule inhibitors of this subunit interaction that is crucial for viral replication. Inte:Ligand joins the consortium as an in-silico screening and modeling partner.