Elvucitabine is an experimental

nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor Reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) are a class of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV infection or AIDS, and in some cases hepatitis B. RTIs inhibit activity of reverse transcriptase, a viral DNA polymerase that is required for replication ...

(NRTI), developed by Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for the treatment of

HIV infection Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

. Elvucitabine belongs to a class of HIV drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). By blocking

reverse transcriptase A reverse transcriptase (RT) is an enzyme used to generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template, a process termed reverse transcription. Reverse transcriptases are used by viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B to replicate their genomes, ...

enzymes Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecule ...

, NRTIs prevent HIV from multiplying and can reduce the amount of HIV in the body. Elvucitabine is similar in chemical structure to the FDA-approved NRTIs

lamivudine Lamivudine, commonly called 3TC, is an antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. It is also used to treat chronic hepatitis B when other options are not possible. It is effective against both HIV-1 and HIV-2. It is typically ...

(brand name Epivir) and

emtricitabine Emtricitabine (commonly called FTC, systematic name 2',3'-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3'-thiacytidine), with trade name Emtriva (formerly Coviracil), is a nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection in ...

(brand name Emtriva). However, ''in vitro'' studies have suggested that elvucitabine may affect certain HIV strains resistant to other NRTIs, such as lamivudine and emtricitabine. Studies have also suggested that elvucitabine may be effective against

hepatitis B virus ''Hepatitis B virus'' (HBV) is a partially double-stranded DNA virus, a species of the genus ''Orthohepadnavirus'' and a member of the ''Hepadnaviridae'' family of viruses. This virus causes the disease hepatitis B. Disease Despite there bein ...

(HBV). Mechanism of action of Elvucitabine ; reveals that it acts by inhibiting reverse transcriptase which interferes with generation of DNA copies of viral RNA. Currently, it is in

Phase II clinical trials The phases of clinical research are the stages in which scientists conduct experiments with a health intervention to obtain sufficient evidence for a process considered effective as a medical treatment. For drug development, the clinical phases ...

References

Dihydrofurans Nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors Organofluorides Pyrimidones Experimental drugs Hydroxymethyl compounds {{Antiinfective-drug-stub