glycanmimetic

A glycanmimetic, or glycomimetic, is a molecule designed to imitate the structural and functional properties of glycans—carbohydrate chains attached to proteins and lipids. These mimetics aim to reproduce key features of native glycans in order to interact with glycan-binding proteins and related biological targets.

Glycan mimetics can be non-carbohydrate scaffolds that present similar spatial arrangement of hydroxyl groups, sugar mimics such as iminosugars and cyclitols, or glycopolymer constructs that display repeating sugar-like motifs. Design approaches seek to balance faithful topological mimicry with improved pharmacokinetic properties and synthetic accessibility.

They are used to modulate biological interactions involving glycan-binding proteins (lectins), receptors, and glycosyltransferases. Applications include inhibitors of selectin-lectin interactions to block cell adhesion, antiviral and antipathogen strategies by blocking glycan-binding sites, and as components of vaccines or diagnostics.

Examples include sialic acid mimetics like zanamivir and oseltamivir, which inhibit influenza neuraminidase. Various neuraminidase inhibitors and other glycomimetic drugs have progressed to clinical or preclinical stages. Beyond infectious disease, glycan mimetics are explored for cancer, autoimmune conditions, and other settings where glycan-mediated recognition drives pathology.

Glycan mimetics are an active area in medicinal chemistry and glycobiology, balancing synthetic challenge with the potential to modulate glycan-dependent processes with greater stability and selectivity. Related topics include glycans, lectins, glycoproteins, and glycoscience.