Potential of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates in the treatment of DNA virus and retrovirus infections

Abstract

The acyclic nucleoside phosphonates [HPMPC: cidofovir, Vistide^®; PMEA: adefovir dipivoxil, Hepsera®; and PMPA: tenofovir, Viread™] have proven to be effective in vitro (cell culture systems) and in vivo (animal models and clinical studies) against a wide variety of DNA virus and retrovirus infections, for example, cidofovir against herpesvirus [herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus type 6, 7 and 8), polyoma-, papilloma-, adeno- and poxvirus (variola virus, cowpox virus, vaccinia virus, molluscum contagiosum virus and orf) infections; adefovir against herpesvirus, hepadnavirus [human hepatitis B virus] and retrovirus [HIV type-1 and 2, simian immunodeficiency virus and feline immunodeficiency virus] infections; and tenofovir against both hepadna- and retrovirus infections. Cidofovir has been officially approved for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in AIDS patients, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Viread^®) for the treatment of HIV infections (i.e., AIDS) and adefovir dipivoxil for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

• 1-O-hexadecyloxypropyl-cidofovir
• acyclic nucleoside phosphonates
• adefovir
• adefovir dipivoxil
• cidofovir
• tenofovir
• tenofovir disoproxil fumarate