Title: Recent Developments in Anti-influenza A Virus Drugs and Use in Combination Therapies
VOLUME: 9 ISSUE: 1
Author(s):Kunihiro Kaihatsu and Dale L. Barnard
Affiliation:Department of Organic Fine Chemicals, The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1, Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
Keywords:Anti-influenza A virus drugs, Ion channel, Hemagglutinin, RNA Polymerase, Neuraminidase, Membrane fusion, Drug resistance, combination therapy, sialic acid, complementary RNA, DRUG RESISTANCE MUTATIONS
Abstract: The pandemic potential of influenza viruses has engaged a large portion of the antiviral drug discovery research community in the development of numerous antiviral agents, with the ultimate goal to supplement effective immunization when new strains arise, especially after an antigenic shift. Antiviral agents against influenza A targets different replication steps of the virus life cycles. Some of the agents are analogues of biomolecules required during virus infection and others are inspired from natural plant extracts. In this review, we summarize their mechanisms of action during the influenza life cycle in vitro and the efficacies of combinational therapies with these agents against the influenza virus infections in vivo.
