System-oriented optimization of multi-target 2,6-diaminopurine derivatives: Easily accessible broad-spectrum antivirals active against flaviviruses, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2

The worldwide circulation of different viruses coupled with the increased frequency and diversity of new outbreaks, strongly highlight the need for new antiviral drugs to quickly react against potential pandemic pathogens. Broad-spectrum antiviral agents (BSAAs) represent the ideal option for a prompt response against multiple viruses, new and re-emerging. Starting from previously identified anti-flavivirus hits, we report herein the identification of promising BSAAs by submitting the multi-target 2,6-diaminopurine chemotype to a system-oriented optimization based on phenotypic screening on cell cultures infected with different viruses. Among the synthesized compounds, 6i showed low micromolar potency against Dengue, Zika, West Nile and Influenza A viruses (IC 50 = 0.5–5.3 μM) with high selectivity index. Interestingly, 6i also inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in different cell lines, with higher potency on Calu-3 cells that better mimic the SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo (IC 50 = 0.5 μM, SI = 240). The multi-target effect of 6i on flavivirus replication was also analyzed in whole cell studies ( in vitro selection and immunofluorescence) and against isolated host/viral targets. Graphical abstract Image 1