New targets for HIV drug discovery

Abstract

Recent estimates suggest close to one million people per year die globally owing to HIV-related illnesses. Therefore, there is still a need to identify new targets to develop future treatments. Many of the more recently identified targets are host-related and these might be more difficult for the virus to develop drug resistance to. In addition, there are virus-related targets (capsid and RNAse H) that have yet to be exploited clinically. Several of the newer targets also address virulence factors, virus latency or target persistence. The targets highlighted in this review could represent the next generation of viable candidates for drug discovery projects as well as continue the search for a cure for this disease.