CMX001 potentiates the efficacy of acyclovir in herpes simplex virus infections

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2011 Oct;55(10):4728-34. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00545-11. Epub 2011 Jul 25.

Abstract

Although acyclovir (ACV) has proven to be of value in the therapy of certain herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, there is a need for more effective therapies, particularly for serious infections in neonates and immunocompromised individuals, where resistance to this drug can be problematic. CMX001 is an orally bioavailable lipid conjugate of cidofovir that is substantially less nephrotoxic than the parent drug and has excellent antiviral activity against all the human herpesviruses. This compound retains full antiviral activity against ACV-resistant laboratory and clinical isolates. The combined efficacy of CMX001 and ACV was evaluated in a new real-time PCR combination assay, which demonstrated that the combination synergistically inhibited the replication of HSV in cell culture. This was also confirmed in murine models of HSV infection, where the combined therapy with these two drugs synergistically reduced mortality. These results suggest that CMX001 may be effective in the treatment of ACV-resistant HSV infections and as an adjunct therapy in individuals with suboptimal responses to ACV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / pharmacology*
  • Acyclovir / therapeutic use
  • Acyclovir / toxicity
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antiviral Agents / toxicity
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Cytosine / pharmacology
  • Cytosine / therapeutic use
  • Cytosine / toxicity
  • Drug Resistance, Viral
  • Drug Synergism
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Herpes Simplex / drug therapy*
  • Herpes Simplex / virology
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / drug effects*
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Organophosphonates / pharmacology*
  • Organophosphonates / therapeutic use
  • Organophosphonates / toxicity

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Organophosphonates
  • brincidofovir
  • Cytosine
  • Acyclovir