Acyclovir News and Research

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Acyclovir is a synthetic analog of the purine nucleoside, guanosine, with potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus and other viruses. After conversion in vivo to the active metabolite acyclovir triphosphate, acyclovir competitively inhibits viral DNA polymerase, incorporates into and terminates the growing viral DNA chain, and inactivates viral DNA polymerase. The greater antiviral activity of acyclovir against HSV compared to VZV is due to its more efficient phosphorylation by the thymidine kinase of HSV.

Peptoids could one day cure or prevent herpes, COVID-19

In addition to antibodies and white blood cells, the immune system deploys peptides to fight viruses and other pathogens.

24 Aug 2021

Antiviral strategy using synthetic peptoid has promising implications for fighting infection

Scientists have manufactured a synthetic form of peptide to combat viral infections, with tests already conducted on HSV-1 as well as SARS-CoV-2.

24 Aug 2021

Drug prescribed for rare enzyme deficiency shows promise to treat herpes viruses

A drug currently prescribed to treat a rare enzyme deficiency can help cells clear the herpes simplex 1 and herpes simplex 2 viruses, according to a new study published in the journal Science Advances.

7 Dec 2020

New and sudden headaches may be a symptom of COVID-19

Researchers report a case of a young male patient who came in with a headache to an emergency room. He had increased intracranial pressure and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting new headaches during the pandemic should not be ignored.

2 Dec 2020

Researchers discover molecular mechanism that helps HSV1 infect the brain

Herpes simplex virus (HSV1) infections are initiated at mucosal surfaces where the virus infects epithelial cells.

8 May 2020

Clinical trial launched to investigate safety and efficacy of antiviral drug for COVID-19

Physician-scientists at four University of California Health medical centers -- UC San Diego Health, UC San Francisco, UC Irvine Health and UC Davis Health -- have begun recruiting participants for a Phase II clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of treating adult patients with COVID-19 with remdesivir, an antiviral drug that has shown activity in animal models and human clinical trials of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, Ebola, Marburg and other viruses.

24 Mar 2020

Exploring the biological link between reactivated HSV and neurological disease

Without even knowing it, most of us carry around latent Herpes Simplex Virus in our nervous system- a simple result of being born and living together with others carrying the virus.

10 Mar 2020

Herpes treatment greatly improved by adding charcoal

A novel charcoal-based drug-delivery system to treat herpes infections topically shows greatly improved efficacy over conventional treatment. Here, the medication called acyclovir, commonly used for herpes infection, was combined with activated carbon particles.

15 Aug 2019

Probiotic-derived molecule optimizes the immune system to combat viral inflammatory diseases

The existence of certain microorganisms in your gut may bolster the immune system's ability to fend off a herpes viral attack that can cause fatal brain inflammation, reports a new City of Hope-led study.

14 May 2019

Shingles raises the risk for heart attack and stroke

Persons who have had chicken pox are prone to develop shingles with the Herpes zoster virus that lays dormant within them. A new study has shown that getting shingles - a painful skin condition caused by the virus could also raise the risk of heart disease such as heart attacks and strokes in individuals. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

5 Jul 2017

Slayback Pharma launches Generic Zovirax Ointment 5% for herpes virus infections

Slayback Pharma LLC is pleased to announce the launch of Generic Zovirax Ointment (Acyclovir Ointment) 5%, by its out-licensee - Sandoz (Fougera). Slayback had developed the product and out-licensed the sales and marketing rights to Sandoz.

23 Dec 2016

Study compares medications for treatment of persons with recurrent genital herpes

In a study appearing in the December 20 issue of JAMA, Anna Wald, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Washington & Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, and colleagues compared the medications pritelivir and valacyclovir for reducing genital herpes simplex virus shedding and lesions in persons with recurrent genital herpes.

20 Dec 2016

Ethosomes may be effective carrier system for transdermal delivery

Ethosomes are ethanolic nanovesicles that possess abundant amount of ethanol in its core which provides fluidity to the lipid bilayers and thus by this effect, improves the delivery of molecules into the deep skin layers.

7 Oct 2016

Vaginal silicone ring may protect women against HIV, herpes virus

Researchers at University Jean Monnet of Saint-Etienne, France have succeeded in developing a vaginal silicone ring that delivers molecules that act on both HIV and herpes virus. This research is presented at the 55th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC/ICC).

21 Sep 2015

NanoViricides speeds up HerpeCide drug development program

NanoViricides, Inc., a nanomedicine company developing anti-viral drugs, reports that it is accelerating its HerpeCide drug development program.

17 Aug 2015

NanoViricides' anti-viral drug candidates show promise in lethal animal model of dermal herpes infection

NanoViricides, Inc., a nanomedicine company developing anti-viral drugs, discusses the significance of the strong effectiveness demonstrated by its anti-viral drug candidates in a lethal animal model of dermal herpes infection.

27 Apr 2015

Common herpes drug Valacyclovir decreases HIV-1 levels

Case Western Reserve researchers are part of an international team that has discovered that a common herpes drug reduces HIV-1 levels — even when patients do not have herpes.

16 Mar 2015

SLU investigators find promising candidates for new herpes virus treatments

Saint Louis University research findings published in the December issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy report a family of molecules known as nucleotidyltransferase superfamily (NTS) enzyme inhibitors are promising candidates for new herpes virus treatments.

19 Dec 2014

BioAlliance Pharma, Daewoong sign new licensing agreement for commercialization of Sitavig in South Korea

BioAlliance Pharma SA, an innovative Company specialized in the development of drugs in orphan oncology diseases, today announces an exclusive supply and license agreement for Sitavig® (Acyclovir Lauriad®) with Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for commercialization rights in South Korea.

2 Apr 2014

Risk factors linked to death may be reversible in severe encephalitis patients

People with severe encephalitis - inflammation of the brain - are much more likely to die if they develop severe swelling in the brain, intractable seizures or low blood platelet counts, regardless of the cause of their illness, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

21 Aug 2013