Lersivirine

Lersivirine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) that was under development for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. It was developed by Pfizer and ViiV Healthcare, but its development was discontinued in 2012.

History

Lersivirine was first synthesized in 2005 by a team of researchers at Pfizer. It entered Phase II clinical trials in 2007. In 2010, ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture between Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, took over the development of the drug. However, in 2012, the development of lersivirine was discontinued due to unsatisfactory results in clinical trials.

Mechanism of Action

Lersivirine works by inhibiting the action of the reverse transcriptase enzyme, which is crucial for the replication of HIV. By blocking this enzyme, lersivirine prevents the virus from multiplying and spreading to new cells.

Clinical Trials

The Phase II clinical trials for lersivirine involved over 500 patients with HIV. The results showed that lersivirine was effective in reducing the viral load in patients, but it was less effective than other NNRTIs on the market. Furthermore, some patients experienced side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and rash.

Discontinuation

The development of lersivirine was discontinued in 2012. The decision was based on the results of the Phase II clinical trials, which showed that the drug was less effective than other NNRTIs on the market. Furthermore, the side effects experienced by some patients were considered unacceptable.

See Also

• Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
• HIV/AIDS
• Pfizer
• ViiV Healthcare

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