Carbohydrates are fundamental molecules involved in nearly all aspects of life. For example, carbohydrates are broken down in the body to produce energy for various biological activities. Carbohydrates play a key role in regulating human physiology and pathology, ranging from signal transduction to microbial infections. There is an emerging trend in using carbohydrate-based drugs for the treatment of various diseases. Nearly 55 carbohydrate-based drugs have been approved in the last two decades for various therapeutic indications, including antiviral, antibacterial/antiparasitic, anticancer, antidiabetic, cardiovascular, central nervous system, etc.
Figure: Application of carbohydrate chemistry
Carbohydrate structures decorate the surface of pathogens and malignant cells and could be exploited as potential targets for vaccine design. Indeed, most vaccines against bacterial infections are carbohydrate vaccines (e.g Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis A, C, Y and W-135, Pneumococcal polysaccharide 7-valent and 23-valent vaccines). Carbohydrates are also developed as an anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, and anti-thrombotic agent from natural and synthetic sources such as heparin or its structural analogues. Glycomimetics are ‘drug-like’ compounds that mimic the structure and function of native carbohydrates and have been investigated for their therapeutic potential (e.g Tamiflu and Relenza for treatment of influenza virus infection, Miglitol, Voglibose, and Acarbose for treatment of diabetes and lysosomal storage disease).
Considering the tremendous potential of carbohydrates in therapeutic developments, team Glycomindsynth developed a library of an extensive and comprehensive range of carbohydrates, including monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, functionalized mono-trisaccharide sugars, oligosaccharides with handle for conjugation to biomolecule using different crosslinking chemistries, and carbohydrate-based probes.
Sialic acid, GlcNAc, GalNAc, Mannose, Galactose, Glucose, Iduronic acid, glucuronic acid, LacNAc, Lactose, Maltose, Sucrose, Fucose, Chitobiose. Oligomannose, Heparan sulfate, Chondroitin sulfate, Hyaluronic acid, Keratan sulfate,