Prof. In-su Kim’s Research Team Presents a New signal to Develop Antiviral Drugs 

- Published in the September issue of the online edition of “Angewandte Chemit”, a world-renowned journal in the field of chemistry

[Image 1] Prof. In-su Kim of the School of Pharmacy, Postdoctoral fellow Prithwish Ghosh, Student of Combined Master’s and Doctorate program Na-yeon Kwan

The research team led by Prof. In-su Kim of the School of Pharmacy (First author: Prithwish Ghosh (postdoctoral fellow), Co-first author: Na-yeon Kwan (student of combined Master’s and Doctorate program) developed a synthetic technology that optionally convert nucleoside analogues, known as core structure in antiviral drugs, and presented a green light for the development of new antiviral drugs. The research result was published in September issue of online edition of Angewandte Chemie(IF=12.959), a world-renowned journal in the field of chemistry.

In this study, the research team developed the world’s first synthetic method of selectively alkalize nucleobase in nucleoside analogues by using available sulfur ylides. Previously reported alkylation synthesis methods of nucleobase were applied under organic solvents, with low chemical reactivity and complex processes requiring multiple stages, resulting in additional production costs and limitations to mass production for the production of medicines.

Sulfur ylide is a reagent developed in 1960 by Nobel Prize-winning professor E. J. Corey, which has been used only in the manufacture of triangular compounds. Prof. In-su Kim’s research team has created an opportunity to highlight the importance of sulfur ylides as an effective reagent to alkalize nucleoside analogues, and is considered a groundbreaking synthesis method in which water or alcohol can be used as a reaction solvent to reduce the cost of producing medicine production.

Prof. In-su Kim said “This research is a new discovery of sulfur ylide’s reactivity for direct conversion of carbon-hydrogen bonds. It is a study that has presented a new signal to promote the development of antiviral drugs, especially for people suffering from the new corona virus, and is an optimal synthesis method that dramatically improves the manufacturing method of nucleoside analogues based on the existing multi-stage synthesis process.”

This research was conducted with the support of the Basic Research Laboratory, the Mid-sized Researcher Support Project, and the New/Variant Virus Response Source Technology Development Project promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and National Research Foundation of Korea.

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