Genelabs Technologies, Inc. - Research - Small Molecule Drug Discovery

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Small Molecule Drug Discovery
	HCV Discovery
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		Small Molecule Drug Discovery

Our HCV programs are focused on the discovery and development of small molecule drug candidates which are potent, specific inhibitors of HCV viral replication, and may offer significant therapeutic advantages over currently approved HCV treatments. By targeting HCV-specific proteins, we believe it is possible to discover therapeutic agents with superior efficacy and safety compared to the currently available non-viral specific treatments. We are encouraged by this strategy since a comparable approach taken by others has proven effective in the treatment and management of HIV infection and disease, another well characterized chronic viral infection.

At Genelabs, we benchmark the potency, in vitro toxicity, and pharmacokinetic properties of our drug candidates against data on known competitive compounds. We believe this will maximize the likelihood that compounds we select for advancement have a distinct advantage over potential competition. We have established an in-house high-throughput screening technology that enables us to screen chemical libraries for potential lead compounds against a variety of targets in the HCV viral genome, including the virus-specific HCV protease, helicase and polymerase enzymes. Many lead compounds have been identified and optimized. We have selected the best of these to advance to preclinical development.