IIT-M researchers working on effective drugs against HIV/AIDS

Given that these forcesare weak, the efficacy of the drug is variable and the viruswill soon become resistant to them, Senapati said.By using the state-of-the-art computational techniques,the team uncovered vital data that can be used for design ofmore efficacious drugs.Senapati said current drugs lack electrostaticcomplementarity and it must be investigated because it iswell-known that electrostatic forces between molecules werestronger.The team believes that the compounds would be effectiveagainst both wild type and resistant HIV variants.The idea would offer a whole new approach to thedevelopment of drugs for HIV-AIDS, the release said.PTI VIJNVG NVG

Chennai, Feb 18(PTI): Researchers at the IndianInstitute of Technology, Madras, are engaged in developing anew idea that can pave the way for effective treatment ofHIV/AIDS, a senior professor said on Thursday. The research team, led by a professor in the Departmentof Biotechnology Sanjib Senapati, has shown that byintroducing electrostatic interaction sites, potential drugmolecules can enhance the efficacy of the anti-viral drugagainst the HIV virus.

''The pressing need for better drugs to combat drug-resistant HIV strains led the researchers to delve into themolecular structure of the protease to identify weak sitesthat can offer a handle for better inhibitor development,'' arelease from IIT-Madras said here.

Drug designers have aimed at developing efficientinhibitors of the enzyme-inhibitors are molecules that bindwith the enzyme thereby making it unavailable to the virusfor growth and maturation.

''Current inhibitors that target HIV-1 protease (HIVPR)make use of the weak forces of attraction to attachthemselves to the protease molecule. Given that these forcesare weak, the efficacy of the drug is variable and the viruswill soon become resistant to them,'' Senapati said.

By using the state-of-the-art computational techniques,the team uncovered vital data that can be used for design ofmore efficacious drugs.

Senapati said current drugs lack electrostaticcomplementarity and it must be investigated because it iswell-known that electrostatic forces between molecules werestronger.

The team believes that the compounds would be effectiveagainst both wild type and resistant HIV variants.

The idea would offer a whole new approach to thedevelopment of drugs for HIV-AIDS, the release said.

PTI VIJNVG NVG