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Structure-Guided Design and Development of Novel Cyclophilin A Inhibitors and Ganoderiol-F Derivatives: An In-Silico Approach
Published on: June 23, 2026
Molecular modeling aided design of nicotinic acid receptor GPR109A agonists
Qiaolin Deng1, Jessica L Frie, Daria M Marley
1Department of Molecular Systems, Merck Research Laboratories, PO Box 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. qiaolin_deng@merck.com
Abstract:
A homology model of the nicotinic acid receptor GPR109A was constructed based on the X-ray crystal structure of bovine rhodopsin. An HTS hit was docked into the homology model. Characterization of the binding pocket by a grid-based surface calculation of the docking model suggested that a larger hydrophobic body plus a polar tail would improve interaction between the ligand and the receptor. The designed compounds were synthesized, and showed significantly improved binding affinity and activation of GPR109A.
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