AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, January 12, 2009
Staff Medical Writers

NewsRx --

2009 JAN 12 - (NewsRx.com) -- "CMX001 is a lipid (1-O-hexadecyloxypropyl) conjugate of the phosphonate nucleotide analogue cidofovir (CDV). CDV, which is approved by the FDA for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced retinitis in AIDS patients, is active against all five families of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that cause human morbidity and mortality," investigators in the United States report (see also Cytomegalovirus).

"However, the clinical utility of the drug is limited by the need for administration by intravenous infusion and the possibility of acute nephrotoxicity. The formation of the lipid conjugate increases in vitro antiviral activity up to a thousandfold, promotes high oral bioavailability and minimizes the potential for nephrotoxicity," wrote G.R. Painter and colleagues, Chimerix, Inc.

The researchers concluded: "CMX001 is currently in phase I single- and multiple-dose clinical trials for the prophylaxis and treatment of smallpox infection, and is entering development for use in prophylactic and pre-emptive therapy of dsDNA viral infections that can cause graft loss in transplant patients."

Painter and colleagues published their study in Drugs of the Future (CMX001 Anti-Smallpox Agent Anti-Cytomegalovirus Agent Viral Polymerase Inhibitor. Drugs of the Future, 2008;33(8):655-661).

For additional information, contact G.R. Painter, Chimerix Inc., 2505 Meridian Pkwy, Suite 340, Durham, NC 27713, USA.

The publisher of the journal Drugs of the Future can be contacted at: Prous Science, SA, PO Box 540, Provenza 388, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.

Keywords: United States, Durham, AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, CMV, Cidofovir, Cytomegalovirus, DNA, Drug Development, Drug Research, Drugs, Enzyme Research, FDA, HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Viral Infection, Pharmaceuticals, Polymerase, Retinitis, Therapy, Treatment, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Virology, Chimerix, Inc.

This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

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