SFU’s Britton Lab unveils modular method to speed antiviral drug candidates (2026-10-04)
Simon Fraser University researchers published on 2026-10-04 in Science a modular, rapid approach to synthesize nucleoside analogues. Developed with Merck, the method produced over 70 compounds and revealed three candidates with promising anti‑HIV activity in cell assays.
On 2026-10-04 the Britton Lab at Simon Fraser University reported in Science, with collaborators at Merck, a modular synthesis platform for nucleoside analogues. By preparing a versatile intermediate in bulk and using a visible-light driven coupling as a single final step, the team generated dozens of distinct molecules in parallel. They built a library of more than 70 analogues and, in cell-based assays, identified three compounds showing notable anti‑HIV activity. The approach substantially shortens the time and steps needed to produce candidate antiviral molecules.