Evolution of anti-HIV drug candidates. Part 1: From alpha-anilinophenylacetamide (alpha-APA) to imidoyl thiourea (ITU).

Stemming from work on a previous clinical candidate, loviride, and other alpha-APA derivatives, a new series of potent non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) has been synthesized. The ITU analogues, which contain a unique diarylated imidoyl thiourea, are very active in inhibiting both wild-type and clinically important mutant strains of HIV-1.