Recent progress in structure-based anti-influenza drug design

Abstract

Seasonal and pandemic influenza have caused high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent emergence of influenza A H5N1 and H1N1 strains has heightened concern, especially as a result of their drug resistance. The life cycle of influenza viruses has been well studied and nearly all the viral proteins are becoming potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we present an overview of recent progress in structure-based anti-influenza drug design, paying close attention to the increasing role of computation and strategies for overcoming drug resistance.