Discontinued drugs in 2006: anti-infectives

Of the drugs dropped from development in 2006, 11 were being developed for infectious diseases. Of these, nine were for viral diseases, including four against HIV, two against hepatitis C virus and one each against respiratory syncytial virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (coronavirus) and a variety of viruses. The nine antiviral agents comprised six synthetic small-molecule compounds, one peptide, one monoclonal antibody and a vaccine. The remaining two agents were a vaccine for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, and lipid-based agent for septic shock. Each of these drugs is briefly reviewed and reasons for failure are discussed.