New class of anti-HIV drugs possible

LA JOLLA, Calif., Feb. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've discovered two compounds that might lay the foundation for the development of a new class of anti-HIV drugs.

Scripps Research scientists said the compounds act on novel binding sites for an enzyme used by the human immunodeficiency virus -- the virus that causes AIDS. They said their discovery could lead to anti-HIV drugs that enhance existing therapies, treat drug-resistant strains of the disease and slow the evolution of drug resistance in the virus.

The scientists say the compounds identified in the new study bind to HIV protease -- an enzyme essential to the lifecycle of the virus. Drugs that block this viral enzyme are called "protease inhibitors" and currently make up an important part of the successful AIDS drug cocktail known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy.

"The study's results open the door to a whole new approach to drug design against HIV protease," said Scripps Research Associate Professor C. David Stout, senior author of the study. "The fragments bound at not one, but two, different crevices in protease outside the active site. This is an important proof-of-concept that the protease molecule has two non-active site binding pockets which can now be exploited as a powerful new strategy to combat drug-resistance in HIV."

The research will appear as the cover article in the March issue of the journal Chemical Biology & Drug Design.