Only recently have compounds that inhibit enzymatic function as well as exhibiting an antiviral effect as a result been discovered. The reasons why certain structural classes of compounds fail to have antiviral activity are only beginning to be understood. In the last two years a new class of compounds has emerged that do produce potent inhibition of viral growth in cell culture. Further work in this area may yet produce clinically useful antiviral agents 411. This virus, first identified in the late-1980s, has been the target of aggressive efforts by the pharmaceutical industry to identify novel therapeutic agents.
Current therapy requires the use of interferon- alpha in conjunction with ribavirin.
Regrettably, the utility of this therapy is limited by both an unsuitable side effect profile and low efficacy. These shortcomings have maintained the pressure to identify more effective therapies. Several compounds that take advantage of different strategies for achieving an antiviral effect are currently in clinical trials. Several more classes of novel antiviral agents have been identified using a range of in vitro assays. Thrombin receptor activation is likely to play a key role in cardiovascular disorders such as arterial thrombosis, atherosclerosis and restenosis, and as such a thrombin receptor antagonist should have potential utility in the treatment of these disorders.