Review: Anti-Influenza Virus Drug Design: Sialidase Inhibitors

Abstract

This review will give an overview of the design process behind the development of sialidase inhibitors, which can be used as anti-influenza drugs. Two drugs (Relenza™ and Tamiflu™) are already available as prescription drugs and a third (BCX-1812) is currently undergoing third-phase clinical trials. Also, the use of molecular-modelling techniques in the understanding of the mechanism and the prediction of inhibition of this enzyme is reviewed.