Structure–Activity Relationships and Discovery of (S)-5-(tert-Butyl)-11-(difluoromethoxy)-9-methoxy-2-oxo-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyrido[2′,1′:2,3]imidazo[4,5-h]quinoline-3-carboxylic Acid (AB-161), a Novel Orally Available and Liver-Centric HBV RNA Destabilizer

Lowering hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels from covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and the integrated genome could reduce the persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Since HBV replication occurs in the liver and to ameliorate the peripheral neuropathy observed with a first-generation tricyclic 4-pyridone PAPD5/7 inhibitor (