Rational design of novel glycomimetics: Inhibitors of concanavalin A

A virtual screening approach was used to identify new glycomimetics. The National Cancer Institute Diversity Set was docked into the carbohydrate binding site of the lectin concanavalin A (ConA). The resulting poses were analyzed and 19 molecules were tested for inhibition with an enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA). Eight of the 19 molecules inhibited ConA–carbohydrate binding. The two most potent inhibitors have IC50 values that are an order of magnitude smaller than the monosaccharide methyl α-d-mannopyranoside.