ANTIPICORNAVIRUS COMPOUNDS AND THEIR USE AS A COMMON COLD THERAPY

In this article, the patent literature from the first half of 1992 thr ough to the last half of 1996 is reviewed. The recent strategies used to develop antiviral therapies for the treatment of rhinovirus infecti ons are described. These include new developments in the design of 'cl assical' uncoating inhibitors and inhibitors of picornaviral proteases . In particular, discovery efforts from groups at Janssen, Sandoz, Sch ering-Plough and Sterling Winthrop have led to identification of broad er acting and more potent uncoating inhibitors. The in vitro and in vi vo effects of these promising new inhibitors are described. The abilit y to inhibit the proteolytic activity of picornaviral proteases has be en demonstrated by a new class of peptidyl-aldehydes from the Chiron a nd Lilly research groups. This new approach as a potential antiviral t herapy is described.