These two abstracts describe a novel new nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) which currently goes by the name SJ-3366. It appears to have significant activity against both HIV-1 (the dominant strain of HIV in North America and Europe) as well as HIV-2 (more common in parts of Africa). Importantly, the investigators report the virus has two ways of working against HIV, unlike any of the other drugs in this class. First, it inhibits reverse transcriptase in HIV-1 virus, an enzyme that AZT and similar drugs also block. However, SJ-3366 also appears to block the attachment of both HIV-1 and also HIV-2 to human T-cells. Because it may work against the HIV-1 virus in more than one way, unlike other drugs of this type, it is a promising and potentially important new member of the NNRTI class.

Like most other NNRTI's, this compound looses activity when typical mutations are present. Other studies showed there may be increased activity when used with ddI, and it appears to also work well with other HIV drugs in lab tests. These reports are promising and deserve further study.

Abstract: A Highly Potent NNRTI Possessing Potential Dual Activity Against HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase I and Chemokine Receptor Interactions (Paper 925)
Authored by: C. Lackman-Smith, et al.