McKinlay M A, Otto M J
Virology Section, Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute, Rensselaer, New York.
Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1987 Jun;1(2):479-93.
As can be seen from the preceding brief discussion, the prospects for new antiviral agents for the treatment of viral diseases ranging in severity from the common cold to AIDS appear promising. The latest advances in technologies such as crystallography, genetic engineering, and monoclonal antibodies are all being applied to the discovery of new ways to inhibit virus-specific processes. In addition, the development of diagnostic tests for viral diseases has proceeded at a rapid pace that should facilitate the proper use of the antivirals when they become available. The one lesson that has been learned in the antiviral field over the past decade is that virus-specific inhibitors do exist, and if an essential virus-specific process or protein can be identified, it is likely that a molecule can be found to inhibit or inactivate it.
从上述简短讨论中可以看出，用于治疗从普通感冒到艾滋病等不同严重程度病毒性疾病的新型抗病毒药物前景似乎颇为乐观。晶体学、基因工程和单克隆抗体等技术的最新进展都正被应用于探索抑制病毒特异性过程的新方法。此外，病毒性疾病诊断测试的发展速度很快，这将有助于在抗病毒药物问世时合理使用它们。在过去十年的抗病毒领域中得到的一个经验教训是，确实存在病毒特异性抑制剂，而且如果能够识别出关键的病毒特异性过程或蛋白质，就很可能找到一种分子来抑制或使其失活。
