ABSTRACT
ProTide technology is a kind of prodrug design strategy invented by the team of Christopher McGuigan. ProTides are aryloxyphosphoramidates (or aryloxyphosphonamidates) which contain a phosphorus atom combined with an amino acid ester and an aryloxy group. These prodrugs can efficiently cross the cell membrane and escape from the first rate-limiting step of phosphorylation, which afford effective solutions to the drawbacks of current nucleoside analogues. At present, ProTide technology has been extensively applied in the field of antiviral research. It has been successful in providing a number of approved drugs and clinical candidates, such as sofosbuvir and so much more, highlighting the promising future in drug discovery. This review summarizes the brief history and characteristics of ProTide technology, as well as its application in the exploration of antiviral drugs.