Activity

The antiviral treatment of HCMV infection is based on the use of viral DNA polymerase inhibitors, which are characterized by several drawbacks that limit their use as long-term toxicity, limited efficacy, poor bioavailability and selection of resistant strains.

Currently no available vaccines are present, thus the identification of new molecules anti-HCMV characterized by greater effectiveness, less toxicity and different mechanisms of action is mandatory. Research in this field focuses on the identification of regulating factors of early stages of HCMV-host cell interaction and the characterization of viral proteins early expressed in infected cells, as the multifunctional protein Immediate-Early 2 (IE2). Together, this knowledge may provide the rationale for the design of new antiviral strategies.

The research and development of new antiviral drugs also involves other viral models, such as Herpesviruses 1, -2, VZV, and the influenza virus, A and B.