The Covalent Drug Comeback

This article compiles 20+ recent small molecules of general interest in the news in April 2023, with structures where they are available. Capacity Bio’s MAS Receptor Agonists with $35M Raised for FIH Clinical Trials MAS modulator from WO2022165189 example 107 New start-up Capacity Bio backed by RA Capital, Insight Partners, and Remiges [...]

PF-07817883 (ibuzatrelvir) is an oral, second-generation SARS-CoV-2 M^pro inhibitor developed by Pfizer. These efforts follow the success of Pfizer's antiviral combination drug, Paxlovid, which was granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA for the treatment of COVID-19. PF-07817883 was granted Fast Track designation and recently completed a Ph. II clinical trial in outpatient adults with COVID-19 symptoms. This article details the discovery strategy for PF-07817883, which includes addressing metabolic soft spots identified through MetID studies, recent clinical developments, and more.

NaV1.8 has become an industry focal point in the pursuit of pain therapeutics thanks to the success of Vertex’s selective inhibitor, VX-548, in Ph. III clinical trials for acute pain and Ph. II results in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Unlike opioid receptor modulation, NaV1.8 inhibition does not carry the same addiction risks in part due to its lack of expression in the brain. Following our recent review of the leading NaV1.8 inhibitor VX-548, this article provides more details on the history of target validation for NaV1.8 in pain and why this could be the new frontier for pain management.

Drug Hunter has sifted through news articles, press releases, financial disclosures, SEC filings, and more to bring you a roundup of 2023’s biggest mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the drug discovery world. Following our open-access industry overview, in part 2 of this 4-part series we bring you the small molecule-focused deals, ranked 11-20 by value. Covering a range of targets and modalities, this article gives Drug Hunter members in-depth background and analysis of the hottest science opening checkbooks in 2023.

The discovery that individuals with null mutations in the NaV1.7 exhibited pain insensitivity sparked interest in targeting NaV1.7 to potentially treat pain. Despite the potential of selectively inhibiting sodium channels like NaV1.7, NaV1.8, and NaV1.9 for pain management, developing selective inhibitors suitable for clinical use has proven challenging. This article complements our coverage of VX-548, NaV1.8 as a critical target in pain management, and our NaV1.8 compound roundup and provides a reminder of noteworthy preclinical and clinical NaV1.7 small molecule inhibitors as of April 2024.