Focus on new drugs in development against human cytomegalovirus

The limitations of current therapies for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) coupled with the continued impact of HCMV disease in the immunocompromised host are the driving force for the development of new drugs against HCMV. This review predominantly focuses on new non-DNA polymerase inhibitors of HCMV replication. Drugs such as tomeglovir (BAY-384766), 2-bromo-5,6-dichloro-1beta-D-ribofuranosyl benzimidazole (BDCRB) and GW-275175X act as inhibitors of the terminase complex that is involved in cleavage and packaging of the unit length DNA into the capsids. Although the viral protein kinase UL97 has been exploited as an activator of ganciclovir and its prodrug valganciclovir, a new inhibitor maribavir (benzamidavir) has been shown to be a highly potent inhibitor of this enzyme. Many of these compounds have undergone successful phase I clinical trials. There are other compounds which have been identified through drug-screening but are at the earlier stages of development.