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New prospects for nelfinavir in non-HIV-related diseases.

Abstract
Nelfinavir (Viracept) was originally designed as a specific HIV protease inhibitor and, since its introduction in 1997, has served as an effective, reliable, and well-tolerated HIV drug. Although nelfinavir is being increasingly displaced by second generation HIV protease inhibitors that allow better combination treatments, it has again become a focus of interest due to an interesting paradoxical effect: nelfinavir inhibits experimentally-induced tissue degeneration or cell damage by preventing loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and even protects mitochondria in cancer cells but, conversely, it selectively induces a mitochondria-independent cell death mechanism in cancer cells by the so-called endoplasmic reticulum/unfolded protein stress response, allowing nelfinavir to act on otherwise chemo-resistant cancer cells. Furthermore, anti-microbial effects of nelfinavir have been described, including an efficacy against malaria, tuberculosis, and SARS. Several cancer-related clinical studies on nelfinavir as a single agent or in combination therapies have been launched and are expected to add to the usefulness of this versatile drug for cancer treatment strategies or other purposes.
AuthorsAnsgar Brüning, Andrea Gingelmaier, Klaus Friese, Ioannis Mylonas
JournalCurrent molecular pharmacology (Curr Mol Pharmacol) Vol. 3 Issue 2 Pg. 91-7 (Jun 2010) ISSN: 1874-4702 [Electronic] United Arab Emirates
PMID20359290 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
Chemical References
  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Nelfinavir
Topics
  • Anti-HIV Agents (pharmacology)
  • Anti-Infective Agents (pharmacology)
  • Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
  • Apoptosis
  • Humans
  • Nelfinavir (therapeutic use)
  • Neoplasms (drug therapy)

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