Patent Update Anti-infectives: Emerging anti-HIV agents and targets

Abstract

The replicative cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) offers a number of molecular targets for intervention by potential antiviral agents, yet the propensity of the virus to continuously mutate allows the organism to escape inhibition by anti-Hiv agents. This review summarises current knowledge on the therapeutic potential of newly identified molecular targets of the virus such as Vpr, Nef, antitat, cyclophilin A, p7 nudeocapsid protein, integrase, leucine zipper as well as the cellular targets, phosphatidic acid and kβ protein. Advances in new inhibitors of the established targets, reverse transcriptase (RT), protease (PR), Tat and Rev are also presented. Emphasis is placed on novel drugs currently in clinical trials, or those showing promise in pre-clinical development. Two sections covering the newly approved anti-AIDS drugs, 3TC™, saquinavir and stavudine and the merits of combination therapy as a powerful strategy to combat the virus are included, reflecting significant milestones achieved in 1995.