SCREENING OF ANTI-VIRAL DRUGS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THIAZOLIDINONE DERIVATIVES

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of screening for small organic molecules that directly inhibit the interaction of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) with GAG-binding viral proteins (GBVPs), which comprises contacting a GAG with an GBVP in the presence of at least one candidate compound; and measuring the amount of the GAG bound to the GBVP or the amount of the GBVP bound to the GAG, wherein a significant decrease in GAG-GBVP binding as compared to GAG-GBVP binding in the absence of the candidate compound, identifies said compound as inhibitor of the GAG-GBVP interaction. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising certain 2-thioxo-thiazolidinone derivatives, particularly useful against virus infections.