Biotin-, fluorescein- and 'clickable' conjugates of phospha-oseltamivir as probes for the influenza virus which utilize selective binding to the neuraminidase.

The synthesis of conjugates of phospha-oseltamivir to the well established reporter groups fluorescein and biotin and an approach to multimeric inhibitors is described. We report powerful inhibition of the influenza neuraminidase by these probes and quantify fluorescence quenching during binding of the fluorescein conjugate through titration with the neuraminidase. Thus, we show that they could be useful tools to efficiently inhibit, detect and quantify the virus and the neuraminidase in biological systems.