Abstract
Some 10 years after the first recognition of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a new syndrome, we have identified a number of molecular targets to interrupt the replicative cycle of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent. A number of dideoxynucleosides have been identified as having anti-HIV activity in vitro, and several of these have been found to have clinical activity in patients. In contrast. while a number of agents have been found to block viral binding to the target cell in vitro, these agents have generally not shown clear-cut evidence of clinical activity. Agents which act at a variet) of steps in the HIV replicative cycle are now under development, and it is likely that we will have an increased armamentarium to fight this disease in the near future.