Therapeutic Targets for Influenza - Perspectives in Drug Development

• Published in: Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications
• Main Authors: Majerová, T. (Taťána), Hoffman, H., Majer, F.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: influenza; drug research; protein structure; oligonucleotides; Avian flu
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc2009087; http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0192850

Since new and dangerous influenza virus strains, such as H5N1 "avian flu" and more recently the swine-origin H1N1 "swine flu", are constantly evolving, the need for effective anti-influenza drugs is pressing. It is becoming clear that the emergence of drug-resistant viruses will be a major potential problem in future efforts to control influenza virus infection. Moreover, development of vaccines against new influenza strains takes several months, and their production capacity is limited. Thus, new classes of anti-influenza drugs are highly sought after. This review focuses mainly on novel strategies, including targeting viral entry into host cells, inhibition of viral transcription and genome replication, and targeting of the NS1 influenza protein. Another approach involves viral RNA silencing by siRNAs or by antisense oligonucleotides.