Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: Overcoming the accuracy–generalization tradeoff in docking and scoring for prospective virtual screening
doi: 10.64898/2026.08.03.742480
Figure Lengend Snippet: Prospective virtual screening campaigns were conducted against four therapeutically relevant targets representing distinct target classes and binding-site architectures. CD73 (nucleotidase), IRAK4 (kinase), and Factor XI (FXIa protease) were targeted through orthosteric inhibition, whereas IL-17A, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) target, was targeted through an allosteric binding site. For each target, the experimentally determined hit rate, a representative validated hit, its biochemical potency ( IC 50), and its structural similarity to the closest previously reported inhibitor (ECFP4 Tanimoto coefficient) are shown. The prospective campaigns identified 56 active compounds from 183 tested for CD73, 19 from 127 for IRAK4, 13 from 299 for Factor XI, and 6 from 194 for IL-17A. Across all four targets, representative hits exhibited low structural similarity to known inhibitors (ECFP4 Tanimoto coefficients of 0.22–0.27), demonstrating the ability of the virtual screening workflow to prospectively identify chemically novel scaffolds across both conventional orthosteric targets and more challenging protein–protein interaction targets.
Article Snippet: Zimlovisertib (MedChemExpress, HY-19836) was used as a positive-control IRAK4 inhibitor.
Techniques: Binding Assay, Inhibition