The Enterovirus 3C Protease Inhibitor SG85 Efficiently Blocks Rhinovirus Replication and Is Not Cross-Resistant with Rupintrivir

Abstract

The novel enterovirus protease inhibitor (PI) SG85 effectively inhibits the in vitro replication of 14 rhinoviruses representative of species A and B (median 50% effective concentration, 0.04 μM). A low-level SG85-resistant variant was selected that carried amino acid substitutions S127G and T143A in the 3C protease. Both substitutions are required for low-level resistance to SG85, as demonstrated by reverse genetics. Interestingly, there is no cross-resistance to SG85 and rupintrivir (another PI); a structural explanation is provided for this observation.