Effects of a Novel Compound (AL 721) on HTLV-III Infectivity in Vitro

Abstract

To the Editor: On the basis of their ability to inhibit viral reverse transcriptase, a number of chemotherapeutic agents are being tested in order to determine their potential efficacy in the treatment of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex.^{1 2 3 4 5 6} Although these compounds have been demonstrated in vitro to inhibit human T-cell lymphotropic virus, Type III (HTLV-III), a retrovirus implicated in the development of AIDS and AIDS-related complex, their therapeutic usefulness in vivo is limited by the toxic effects derived from their antimetabolite mechanism of action. Alternative strategies for novel antiviral drugs may be developed from recent demonstrations that . . .