AB-22

AB-22 (also known as compound 22h) is a novel, fast-acting, small molecule vinyl sulfate antifungal agent developed by Amtix Bio in collaboration with Yonsei University and the Korea Institute of Science & Technology (KIST). It exhibits potent fungicidal activity against a broad spectrum of human fungal pathogens, including *Candida albicans*, *Candida glabrata*, *Cryptococcus neoformans*, and *Aspergillus fumigatus*. AB-22 acts by disrupting fungal cell wall integrity, which triggers the activation of cell wall stress-response pathways such as the Mpk1 MAPK, unfolded protein response (UPR), and calcineurin pathways. In *C. albicans*, AB-22 effectively inhibits germ tube formation, hyphal transition, and biofilm initiation by suppressing the expression of key virulence genes, including *ALS3*, *HWP1*, and *ECE1*. It has demonstrated significant in vivo efficacy in murine models of systemic candidiasis and subcutaneous infection, as well as ex vivo human nail infection models, highlighting its potential for treating both systemic and cutaneous fungal infections.

Other names

compound 22hcompound22hcompound-22h