Recent developments with metalloprotease inhibitor class of drug candidates for botulinum neurotoxins.
Botulinum Neurotoxins are the most poisonous of all toxins with lethal dose in nanogram quantities. They are potential biological warfare and bioterrorism agents due to their high toxicity and ease of preparation. On the other hand BoNTs are also being increasingly used for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes, and with that the chances of accidental overdose are increasing. And despite the potential damage they could cause to human health, there are no post-intoxication drugs available so far. But progress is being made in this direction. The crystal structures in native form and bound with substrate peptides have been determined, and these are enabling structure-based drug discovery possible. High throughput assays have also been designed to speed up the screening progress. Substrate-based and small molecule inhibitors have been identified. But turning high affinity inhibitors into clinically viable drug candidates has remained a challenge. We discuss here the latest developments and the future challenges in drug discovery for Botulinum neurotoxins.
Gyanendra
G
Kumar
Biological, Environmental & Climate Sciences Department, 50 Bell Avenue, Building 463, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA. Gyanendra.Kumar@StJude.Org.
Subramanyam
S
Swaminathan
D000818:Animals; D001904:Botulinum Antitoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D057786:Peptidomimetics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001904:Botulinum Antitoxin; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010455:Peptides; D057786:Peptidomimetics; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D010450:Endopeptidases; D045726:Metalloproteases; D001905:Botulinum Toxins