Antiviral drugs for treatment of arenavirus infection

1. A method for the treatment of an Arenavirus infection comprising administering in a therapeutically effective amount to a mammal in need thereof, a compound of Formula I below:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, arylalkyl, aryl, acyl, arylacyl, hydroxy, alkyloxy, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, acetamido, halogen, cyano or nitro;

R 3 is hydrogen, acyl, arylacyl or sulfonyl; and

Ar 1 and Ar 2 are independently (un)substituted aryl or heteroaryl; and wherein compound of Formula I is selected from the group consisting of:

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-propoxy-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Isopropoxy-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Butoxy-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Hexyloxy-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-phenoxy-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Benzyloxy-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Ethyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-propyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Butyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-tert-Butyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

Biphenyl-4-ylmethyl-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-propoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Isopropoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Butoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Hexyloxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-phenoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Ethyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-propyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Butyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-tert-Butyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Hexyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Benzyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Hexyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-tert-Butoxy-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Benzyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(1-Biphenyl-4-yl-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl)-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-naphthalen-2-yl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-{1-[4-(naphthalen-2-yloxy)-phenyl]-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl}-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-phenethyl-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-phenethyloxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-tert-Butoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-isopropyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Dimethylaminomethyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-morpholin-4-ylmethyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-phenethyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-phenethyloxy-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-ethyl-benzyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(5-methyl-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(6-methyl-pyridin-3-ylmethyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(2-ethyl-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-methyl-amine; hydrochloride;

(4-Ethyl-benzyl)-[1-(6-methoxy-pyridin-3-yl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Ethyl-benzyl)-[1-(2-methoxy-pyrimidin-5-yl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Ethyl-benzyl)-[1-(6-methoxy-pyridazin-3-yl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

[1-(6-Ethoxy-pyridin-3-yl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-ethyl-benzyl)-amine;

(4-Ethyl-benzyl)-[1-(5-methoxy-pyridin-2-yl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-Isopropyl-benzyl)-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-7-trifluoromethyl-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-N-[(4-ethylphenyl)methyl]-2-methyl-benzimidazol-5-amine;

1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-N-[(4-ethylphenyl)methyl]-2-propyl-benzimidazol-5-amine;

1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-5-[(4-ethylphenyl)methylamino]benzimidazole-2-carbonitrile;

1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-N-[(4-ethylphenyl)methyl]-6-methyl-benzimidazol-5-amine;

3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-N6-[(4-ethylphenyl)methyl]benzimidazole-4,6-diamine hydrochloride;

1-[4-[[[1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)benzimidazol-5-yl]amino]methyl]phenyl]ethanone;

1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-N5-[(4-ethylphenyl)methyl]benzimidazole-2,5-diamine;

5-[(4-isopropylphenyl)methylamino]-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzimidazole-2-carbonitrile;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(4-piperidin-1-ylmethyl-benzyl)-amine;

[4-(2-Dimethylamino-ethoxy)-benzyl]-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine;

(4-{[1-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-ylamino]-methyl}-phenyl)-acetic acid;

5-Dimethylamino-naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid 4-{[1-(4-ethoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-ylamino]-methyl}-benzylamide;

[1-(6-Ethoxy-pyridin-3-yl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-(5-methyl-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-amine;

[1-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-[4-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-ylmethyl)-benzyl]-amine; and

[4-(3-Dimethylamino-propoxy)-benzyl]-[1-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-amine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound of Formula I is 5-[(4-isopropylphenyl)methylamino]-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzimidazole-2-carbonitrile.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Arenavirus is selected from the group consisting of Junin, Machupo, Tacaribe, Guanarito, Machupo, Pichinde and Lassa.

5. The method of claim 1 , which further comprises co-administering a combination of cidofovir, cyclic cidofovir, or salts thereof.