Infectious disease

Cell culture studies identified a Prezista darunavir-based HIV protease inhibitor that could help treat protease inhibitor-resistant HIV/AIDS. Chemical synthesis and testing in human T cell-based viral replication assays of Prezista analogs yielded a compound that inhibited the replication of six HIV strains expressing patient-derived protease mutants resistant to Prezista, Reyataz atazanavir and lopinavir with IC₅₀ values of 0.0052-0.69 nM and 18 HIV strains expressing additional protease mutants associated with protease inhibitor resistance with IC₅₀ values of 20 pM or less. Next steps could include testing the compound in animal models of protease inhibitor-resistant HIV infection.

Johnson & Johnson markets Prezista, a second-generation HIV protease inhibitor, to treat HIV/AIDS...