RSV infections: developments in the search for new drugs

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children, and is also a significant threat to other populations including the immunosuppressed, the elderly and those with chronic chest or cardiac disease. To expand the scope of available antiviral drugs, presently limited to ribavirin, a variety of different structural formats have been explored in the past half-dozen years. Interesting leads for future discovery and lead development include a group of biphenyl relatives (represented by CL-387626) that bind the RSV fusion (F) protein; 2-5A-antisense oligonucleotides that target the RSV genomic RNA; Rho A-derived peptides that block Rho A GTPase interaction with RSV fusion (F) protein; and several compounds of presently unknown mechanisms of action, such as benzodithiins.