Despite the availability of about twenty antiretroviral drugs approved so far for the treatment of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, current combination regimens present several challenges yet. In particular, newer broad spectrum anti-HIV drugs are needed to improve the mode of convenience administration, reduce toxicity, and to provide antiretroviral activity against viral strains resistant to the currently used antiretroviral agents. For these reasons, a particular focus is needed today on new anti-HIV drugs that i) effectively inhibit the viral replication interacting with new (or little explored) viral targets and ii) are endowed with broad anti-HIV spectrum.
Recently CDK9 emerged as a carefully validated and very promising target for anti – HIV drug development.
Vichem has developed potent CDK9 inhibitors which are very potent compounds inhibiting HIV replication in nM dose. Vichem works together with ViroStatics on its preclinical lead optimization program for a novel anti-HIV drug.