NIH is seeking a licensee or collaborator for Nipamovir, an affordable oral treatment for HIV infection with a high barrier to resistance. Nipamovir is a low molecular weight mercaptobenzamide derivative that is simple to produce and can be used to lower or eliminate the infectivity of HIV. It inactivates HIV by a complicated mechanism of action that involves interference with final maturation steps of the virus, which provides a very high barrier for HIV to develop resistance.

Extended treatment of Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques with Nipamovir lowers the viral load by 1 log unit and eliminates the ability of remaining virus to infect other cells. It shows similar antiviral activity in HIV-infected human cells. Laboratory experiments designed to encourage HIV to develop resistance to Nipamovir have all failed.

Competitive advantages of Nipamovir include:

• Very high barrier to resistance.
• No toxic side-effects observed in animal studies.
• Is a simple, small molecule that is not expensive or difficult to synthesize.

If you are interested in learning more about Nipamovir or want to get in contact with the licensing specialist, you can view that abstract here: Nipamovir: An Afforable, Oral Treatment for HIV Infection with a High Barrier to Resistance.