In vitro characterization of GSK2485852, a novel hepatitis C virus polymerase inhibitor

GSK2485852 (referred to here as GSK5852) is a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B polymerase inhibitor with 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) in the low nanomolar range in the genotype 1 and 2 subgenomic replicon system as well as the infectious HCV cell culture system. We have characterized the antiviral activity of GSK5852 using chimeric replicon systems with NS5B genes from additional genotypes as well as NS5B sequences from clinical isolates of patients infected with HCV of genotypes 1a and 1b. The inhibitory activity of GSK5852 remained unchanged in these intergenotypic and intragenotypic replicon systems. GSK5852 furthermore displays an excellent resistance profile and shows a <5-fold potency loss across the clinically important NS5B resistance mutations P495L, M423T, C316Y, and Y448H. Testing of a diverse mutant panel also revealed a lack of cross-resistance against known resistance mutations in other viral proteins. Data from both the newer 454 sequencing method and traditional population sequencing showed a pattern of mutations arising in the NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in replicon cells exposed to GSK5852. GSK5852 was more potent than HCV-796, an earlier inhibitor in this class, and showed greater reductions in HCV RNA during long-term treatment of replicons. GSK5852 is similar to HCV-796 in its activity against multiple genotypes, but its superior resistance profile suggests that it could be an attractive component of an all-oral regimen for treating HCV.