N-Acetamideindolecarboxylic acid allosteric 'finger-loop' inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase: discovery and initial optimization studies.

SAR studies at the N(1)-position of allosteric indole-based HCV NS5B inhibitors has led to the discovery of acetamide derivatives with good cellular potency in subgenomic replicons (EC(50) <200 nM). This class of inhibitors displayed improved physicochemical properties and favorable ADME-PK profiles over previously described analogs in this class.