title: A 40-year journey in search of selective antiviral chemotherapy.
abstract: My search for a selective antiviral chemotherapy started more than 40 years ago with interferon inducers, then shifted to nucleoside analogs with the discovery of BVDU (brivudin), a highly selective anti-HSV-1 and anti-VZV agent, and to dideoxynucleoside analogs such as d4T (stavudine), anti-HIV agents. The search culminated in the discovery of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs) (in collaboration with Antonin Holý), a key class of compounds active against HIV, hepatitis B virus, and DNA viruses at large; the best known of these compounds is tenofovir. Along the way, the principle of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) was established. This work, initiated in collaboration with the late Paul A.J. Janssen, eventually led to the identification of rilpivirine as perhaps an "ideal" NNRTI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medical School University of Leuven, Belgium. erik.declercq@rega.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Clercq
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015195:Drug Design; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000494:pharmacology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007369:Interferon Inducers