ADS-J21 is a novel HIV-1 entry inhibitor targeting gp41

HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp41 mediates fusion between HIV-1 and host cell membranes, making inhibitors of gp41 attractive anti-HIV drugs. We previously reported an efficient HIV-1 fusion inhibitor, ADS-J1, with a Y-shaped structure. Here, we discovered a new compound, ADS-J21, with a Y-shaped structure similar to that of ADS-J1 but with a lower molecular weight. Moreover, ADS-J21 exhibited effective anti-HIV-1 activity against divergent HIV-1 strains in vitro, including several HIV-1 laboratory-adapted strains and primary isolates with different subtypes (clades A to F) and tropisms (X4 or R5). Mechanistic studies have demonstrated that ADS-J21 blocks the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle (6-HB) by targeting conserved amino acids Lys35 and Trp32. These findings suggest that ADS-J21 can be used as a new lead compound for further optimization in the development of a small-molecule fusion inhibitor.