ABSTRACT Recently, using structure-inspired drug design, we demonstrated that aminoalkyl derivatives of β-cyclodextrin inhibited anthrax lethal toxin action by blocking the transmembrane pore formed by the protective antigen (PA) subunit of the toxin. In the present study, we evaluate a series of new β-cyclodextrin derivatives with the goal of identifying potent inhibitors of anthrax toxins. Newly synthesized hepta-6-thioaminoalkyl ...