TAKING AIM AT A MOVING TARGET INHIBITORS OF INFLUENZA-VIRUS .1. VIRUSADSORPTION, ENTRY AND UNCOATING

Annual epidemics of influenza virus infection are responsible for cons iderable morbidity and mortality, and pandemics are much more devastat ing. Considerable knowledge of viral infectivity and replication has b een acquired, but many details have yet to be elucidated and the virus remains a particularly challenging target for drug design and develop ment. In this two part review, the current status of influenza researc h is summarized in the context of inhibitor design and discovery, and recent advances in the search for clinically effective drug therapy ar e detailed. The first part addresses virus adsorption, entry and uncoa ting; the second part, to be published in the September issue of Drug Discovery Today, discusses aspects of virus replication, packaging and release.