Identification of a 3-aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

BACKGROUND: Despite the effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), there remains an urgent need to develop new human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) inhibitors with better pharmacokinetic properties that are well tolerated, and that block common drug resistant virus strains. METHODS: Here we screened an in-house small molecule library for novel inhibitors of HIV-1 replication. RESULTS: An active compound containing a 3-aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine scaffold was identified and quantitatively characterized as a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). CONCLUSIONS: The potency of this compound coupled with its inexpensive chemical synthesis and tractability for downstream SAR analysis make this inhibitor a suitable lead candidate for further development as an antiviral drug.