Patent ID: 7927790

Claim:
A method of screening for a FEN-1 inhibitor that inhibits HIV-specific replication, comprising: (a) identifying one or more FEN-1 inhibitor candidates that are small organic molecules identified by the following criteria: (i) a positive charge; and (ii) a molecular structure that has at least one aromatic group; (b) contacting an HIV-infected host cell with the one or more FEN-1 inhibitor candidates; (c) determining the efficacy of the one or more FEN-1 inhibitor candidates for inhibiting FEN-1 cleavage of HIV-central DNA flap (HIV-CDF) and/or inhibiting cellular 5′ DNA flap structures; and (d) selecting one or more FEN-1 inhibitor candidates that inhibit FEN-1 cleavage of HIV-CDF but do not inhibit cellular 5′ DNA flap structures.