Protease Enzyme Inhibition

Pp: 75-96 (22)

* (Excluding Mailing and Handling)

Abstract

The protease inhibitors are a potent, durable class of antiretroviral agents recommended as preferred initial therapy for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with a nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor. These agents play a critical role as salvage therapy in treatment-experienced patients with extensive antiretroviral drug exposure given their high genetic barrier to drug resistance. Each antiretroviral within this class is unique in virologic potency, drug-drug interaction potential, pharmacokinetic characteristics and adverse effect profile. This chapter will summarize and review protease inhibitors currently available on the market and provide guidance for the application of their use in clinical practice.

Keywords: Protease Inhibitor, Antiretroviral Therapy, Pharmacogenomics, Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Saquinavir, Darunavir, Atazanavir, Fosamprenavir, Indinavir, Nelfinavir, Tipranavir.