Panacos is in the unique position of developing bevirimat (PA-457), the first in the completely new class of HIV drugs called Maturation Inhibitors and also building a strong intellectual property position around the compound’s viral target. Our scientists are developing second and third generation Maturation Inhibitors that have modified properties compared to bevirimat which will form a key part of the Company’s future pipeline.

Mechanism of Action

The second generation maturation inhibitors are expected to work by the same target as bevirimat.  Bevirimat acts at this point in the virus life cycle and is the first in a new class of HIV drugs called Maturation Inhibitors. Bevirimat blocks HIV maturation by inhibiting the final step in the processing of the HIV Gag protein. The resulting virus particles are structurally defective and are incapable of spreading infection around the body. The mechanism of action of bevirimat is described in a November 2003 publication in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (Li et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 100, 13555-13560 [2003])

Publications

Listed below are scientific publications and presentations at scientific meetings.