Antiviral Strategies


Book Description

A crucial issue for antiviral therapy is the fact that all antiviral substances rapidly select for resistance; thus, monitoring and overcoming resistance has become a most important clinical paradigm of antiviral therapy. This calls for cautious use of antiviral drugs and implementation of combination therapies. In parallel, efforts in drug discovery have to be continued to develop compounds with novel mode-of-action and activity against resistant strains. This book reviews the current status of antiviral therapy, from the roads to development of new compounds to their clinical use and cost effectiveness. Individual chapters address in more detail all available drug classes and outline new approaches currently under development.




Antiviral Drug Strategies


Book Description

By focusing on general molecular mechanisms of antiviral drugs rather than therapies for individual viruses, this ready reference provides the critical knowledge needed to develop entirely novel therapeutics and to target new viruses. It begins with a general discussion of antiviral strategies, followed by a broad survey of known viral targets, such as reverse transcriptases, proteases, neuraminidases, RNA polymerases, helicases and primases, as well as their known inhibitors. The final section contains several cases studies of recent successful antiviral drug development. Edited by Erik de Clercq, the world authority on small molecule antiviral drugs, who has developed more new antivirals than anyone else.




Human Herpesviruses


Book Description

This comprehensive account of the human herpesviruses provides an encyclopedic overview of their basic virology and clinical manifestations. This group of viruses includes human simplex type 1 and 2, Epstein–Barr virus, Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus, HHV6A, 6B and 7, and varicella-zoster virus. The viral diseases and cancers they cause are significant and often recurrent. Their prevalence in the developed world accounts for a major burden of disease, and as a result there is a great deal of research into the pathophysiology of infection and immunobiology. Another important area covered within this volume concerns antiviral therapy and the development of vaccines. All these aspects are covered in depth, both scientifically and in terms of clinical guidelines for patient care. The text is illustrated generously throughout and is fully referenced to the latest research and developments.




Successful Strategies for the Discovery of Antiviral Drugs


Book Description

The antiviral therapeutic area continues to rapidly generate meaningful new chemical entities; for example, for HIV alone more than 25 drugs have been approved, and in the next few years many individual drugs and single tablet regimens will be approved for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. The increasing success in the antiviral area could be due to targeting drugs at "non-self" genomes and to the patient population that is tolerant of manageable side effects and adaptable to inconvenient dosing. Aimed at medicinal chemists and emerging drug discovery scientists, the book is organized according to the various strategies deployed for the discovery and optimization of initial lead compounds. This book focuses on capturing tactical aspects of problem solving in antiviral drug design, an approach that holds special appeal for those engaged in antiviral drug development, but also appeals to the broader medicinal chemistry community based on its focus on tactical aspects of drug design.




Antivirals for Pandemic Influenza


Book Description

Planning for an influenza pandemic, whether it occurs in the near or distant future, will need to take into account many constantly evolving factors. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Implementation of Antiviral Medication Strategies for an Influenza Pandemic was asked by the Department of Health and Human Services, (DHHS) to consider best practices and policies for providing antiviral treatment and prophylaxis during a pandemic event. The committee's report, entitled Antivirals for Pandemic Influenza: Guidance on Developing a Distribution and Dispensing Program, calls for a national and public process of creating an ethical framework for antiviral use within the context of uncertainty and scarcity. It is unclear whether antivirals will work against a pandemic strain as well as they work against seasonal influenza. Also, government stockpiles may not be sufficient for all possible uses in part because antivirals are costly and public health agencies must invest in other important activities, including other medical resources for pandemic influenza. Furthermore, the report identifies the lack of a science-based advisory body to guide decision making during the pandemic, including guidance on all dimensions of antiviral dispensing (for example, prioritization, drug safety, and antiviral resistance). The report also acknowledges the need for diverse methods and sites of dispensing, and discusses their advantages and disadvantages.




Virus as Populations


Book Description

Virus as Composition, Complexity, Quasispecies, Dynamics, and Biological Implications, Second Edition, explains the fundamental concepts surrounding viruses as complex populations during replication in infected hosts. Fundamental phenomena in virus behavior, such as adaptation to changing environments, capacity to produce disease, and the probability to be transmitted or respond to treatment all depend on virus population numbers. Concepts such as quasispecies dynamics, mutations rates, viral fitness, the effect of bottleneck events, population numbers in virus transmission and disease emergence, and new antiviral strategies are included. The book's main concepts are framed by recent observations on general virus diversity derived from metagenomic studies and current views on the origin and role of viruses in the evolution of the biosphere. Features current views on key steps in the origin of life and origins of viruses Includes examples relating ancestral features of viruses with their current adaptive capacity Explains complex phenomena in an organized and coherent fashion that is easy to comprehend and enjoyable to read Considers quasispecies as a framework to understand virus adaptability and disease processes




Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development


Book Description

This book summarizes state-of-the-art antiviral drug design and discovery approaches starting from natural products to de novo design, and provides a timely update on recently approved antiviral drugs and compounds in advanced clinical development. Special attention is paid to viral infections with a high impact on the world population or highly relevant from the public health perspective (HIV, hepatitis C, influenza virus, etc.). In these chapters, limitations associated with adverse effects and emergence of drug resistance are discussed in detail. In addition to classical antiviral strategies, chapters will be dedicated to discuss the non-classical drug development strategies to block viral infection, for instance, allosteric inhibitors, covalent antiviral agents, or antiviral compounds targeting protein–protein interactions. Finally, current prospects for producing broad-spectrum antiviral inhibitors will be also addressed. The book is distinctive in providing the most recent update in the rapidly evolving field of antiviral therapeutics. Authoritative reviews are written by international scientists well known for their contributions in their topics of research, which makes this book suitable for researchers not only within the antiviral research community but also attractive to a broad audience in the drug discovery field. This book covers molecular structures and biochemical mechanisms mediating the antiviral effects, while discussing various ligand design strategies, which include traditional medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, and chemical biology approaches. The book provides a comprehensive review of antiviral drug discovery and development approaches, particularly focusing on current innovations and future trends.




Applied Plant Virology


Book Description

Applied Plant Virology: Advances, Detection, and Antiviral Strategies provides an overview on recent developments and applications in the field of plant virology. The book begins with an introduction to important advances in plant virology, but then covers topics including techniques for assay detection and the diagnosis of plant viruses, the purification, isolation and characterization of plant viruses, the architecture of plant viruses, the replication of plant viruses, the physiology of virus-infected hosts, vectors of plant viruses, and the nomenclature and classification of plants. The book also discusses defense strategies by utilizing antiviral agents and management strategies of virus and viroid diseases. With contributions from an international collection of experts, this book presents a practical resource for plant virologists, plant pathologists, horticulturalists, agronomists, biotechnologists, academics and researchers interested in up-to-date technologies and information that advance the field of plant virology. Covers the detection, control and management of plant viruses Discusses antiviral strategies, along with mechanisms of systemic induced resistance to enhance the defense of plants against viruses Provides contributory chapters from expert plant virologists from different parts of the world




Antiviral Strategies in the Treatment of Human and Animal Viral Infections


Book Description

Antiviral Strategies in the Treatment of Human and Animal Viral Infections provides a comprehensive overview of the most recent discoveries in the field of antiviral research. It covers topics like viral replication, immunological reactions, medication discovery, vaccine development, and clinical applications. It also provides a summary of the difficulties and possibilities in battling viral infections that affect both humans and animals. Antiviral Strategies in the Treatment of Human and Animal Viral Infections is a useful resource for researchers, doctors, veterinarians, and students who are interested in the prevention and treatment of viral infections




Fusion of Biological Membranes and Related Problems


Book Description

Membrane fusion and targeting processes are tightly regulated and coordinated. Dozens of proteins, originating from both the cytoplasm and membranes are involved. The discovery of homologous proteins from yeast to neurons validates a unified view. Although much is known about the interfering proteins, the events occurring when two lipid bilayers actually fuse are less clear. It should be remembered that lipid bilayers behave like soap-bubbles fusing when meeting each other. In this respect interfering proteins should be considered as preventing undesirable and unnecessary fusion and eventually directing the biological membrane fusion process (when, where, how, and overcoming the activation energy). In this latest volume in the renowned Subcellular Biochemistry series, some aspects of fusion of biological membranes as well as related problems are presented. Although not complete, there is a lot of recent information including on virus-induced membrane fusion. The contributors of the chapters are all among the researchers who performed many of the pioneering studies in the field.