A novel process development based on recombinant DNA technology for the production of HIV entry inhibitor molecule

Abstract

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a pandemic disease caused by infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV primarily infects the cells which play a vital role in the human immune system like CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells and macrophages and destroys these cells leading to life threatening opportunistic infections. Current medications for HIV infection consists of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) which has been highly effective but with no permanent cure. These antiretroviral drugs are designed to interfere with the replication cycle of HIV. However, the success of the current therapy is limited due to the rapid emergence of drug resistant mutant viruses, complex dosage regimen, side effects, expensive treatment and limited medications in majority of the countries. Vaccine is the best choice to treat this syndrome which is economical and would not require daily treatment. But, HIV-1 remained as a complex target for a vaccine development till now due to newlineits genome diversity (Hai-Bo Wang et. al., 2015; Jose Esparza et. al., 2014). In newlinesearch of novel drugs for safe, economical and highly effective treatment, Entry newline(fusion) inhibitors were emerged as a new class of anti retrovirals. Fusion newlineinhibitors block the fusion between the virus and target cells by their novel newlinemechanism of action and thus inhibit the viral entry. Enfuvirtide (T20) is a fusion inhibitor peptide drug derived from partial amino acid sequence of the transmembrane (gp41) glycoprotein of the HIV 1HXB2 strain and is the first fusion inhibitor to be approved by the Food and newlineDrug Administration for the treatment of patients who have failed to respond to newlinethe current antiretroviral drugs. Though T20 is highly effective in decreasing newlinethe viral load, currently it is being used as the last option for HIV treatment newlinebecause the treatment with T20 is very expensive.