Design and synthesis of novel benzofurans as a new class of antifungal agents targeting fungal N-myristoyltransferase. Part 3

Abstract A new series of acid-stable antifungal agents having strong inhibitory activity against Candida albicans N -myristoyltransferase (CaNmt) has been developed starting from acid-unstable benzofuranylmethyl aryl ether 2 . The inhibitor design is based on X-ray crystallographic analysis of a CaNmt complex with aryl ether 3 . Among the new inhibitors, pyridine derivative 8b and benzimidazole derivative 8k showed clear antifungal activity in a murine systemic candidiasis model.