Antiviral peptides having a 2-oxoalkyl amino acid side chain

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Disclosed herein are peptide derivatives of the formula X-NR1-CH(R2)-C(W1)n-NH-CR3(R4)-C(W2)-NR5-CHCH2- C(O)-Y-C(W3)-NH-CR6-CR7(R8)-COOH-C(W4)-NH-CR9(R10)-Z wherein X is a terminal group, for example alkanoyl or phenyl-alkanoyl, radicals, R1 is hydrogen alkyl or phenylalkyl, R2, R4 and, R10 are selected from amino acid or derived amino acid residues R3, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R9 are hydrogen or lower alkyl W1, W2, W3, and W4 are oxo or thioxo, Y is for example, an alkyl or a cyclo-alkyl Z is a terminal group, for example, COOH or CH2OH and, n is 0 or 1. The derivatives are useful for treating herpes infections.