Discovery of a small molecule inhibitor targeting dengue virus NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that has spread globally in recent years. Around half of the world’s population, especially in the tropics and subtropics, is at risk of infection. Every year, 50–100 million clinical cases are reported, and more than 500,000 patients develop the symptoms of severe dengue infection: dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, which threaten life in Asia and Latin America. No antiviral drug for dengue is available. The dengue virus (DENV) non-structural protein 5 (NS5), which possesses the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity and is responsible for viral replication and transcription, is an attractive target for anti-dengue drug development. In the present study, 16,240 small-molecule compounds in a fragment library were screened for their capabilities to inhibit the DENV type 2 (DENV2) RdRp activities in vitro. Based on in cellulo antiviral and cytotoxity assays, we selected the compound RK-0404678 with the EC(50) value of 6.0 μM for DENV2. Crystallographic analyses revealed two unique binding sites for RK-0404678 within the RdRp, which are conserved in flavivirus NS5 proteins. No resistant viruses emerged after nine rounds of serial passage of DENV2 in the presence of RK-0404678, suggesting the high genetic barrier of this compound to the emergence of a resistant virus. Collectively, RK-0404678 and its binding sites provide a new framework for antiviral drug development.