Current drugs inhibit the performance of two enzymes that play key roles in viral replication.
The search continues for new ways to fight HIV, perhaps earlier in its activity cycle. Major research groups are seeking out and testing inhibitor compounds, and advanced computational tools are vital in the struggle. They represented a ray of hope, but they had many side effects and seemed to lose efficacy gradually. A breakthrough came several years ago with the advent of drugs that interfered with the action of the HIV enzyme protease . Computer simulation played a key role in the discovery and design of the protease inhibitors.