Nelfinavir

nelfinavir
IUPAC name: see chemistry section Synonyms: NF, NLF Formula: C32H45N3O4S
Uses:	HIV
Properties:	protease inhibitor
Hazards:	see drug interactions
Mass (g/mol): CAS #: 567.7824 159989-64-7

Nelfinavir, sometimes abbreviated as NFV or NLF and sold under the brand name Viracept® is a protease inhibitor used to treat HIV/AIDS. Nelfinavir binds to and inhibits the HIV-1 viral proteinase enzyme which prevents cleavage of the gag-pol polyprotein, resulting in non-infectious, immature viral particles. Its short half-life (3.5-5 hr) and the lack of activity of it major metabolites means that nelfinavir must be taken every 4-5 hours. It most often used in combination with two or more anti-HIV drugs.

Chemistry

Its chemical name is (3S,4aS,8aS)-N-tert-butyl-2-[(2R,3R)-2-hydroxy-3-[(3-hydroxy-2-methylbenzoyl)amino] -4-phenylsulfanylbutyl]-3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-1H-isoquinoline-3-carboxamide, and its chemical formula is C₃₂H₄₅N₃O₄S.

External Links

The most up-to-date information about Nelfinavir and other drugs can be found at the following sites.

• Nelfinavir - FDA approved drug information (drug label) from DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
• Nelfinavir - Drug information for consumers from MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
• Nelfinavir - Detailed information from DrugBank.