Researchers have found a new way to interrupt replication of AIDS virus, and thus providing a new way for research and development of AIDS drugs, announced the University of Science and Technology of China March 25.

AIDS virus is easily become resistant to two types of AIDS drugs that are commonly used for the time being. Besides side effects and high cost of the drugs make AIDS patients reluctant to take them, introduced Prof Wang Zhiyong with the University.

What the researchers did is to find a new "agent" that resists the AIDS virus. According to recent fundamental research, to "spread" in human body, AIDS virus must first attach to a normal cell, then trying to "penetrate" the cell to finalize replication. This is a process of vital importance. "Our idea is to find something that takes the position on the cell where the virus attaches itself to before the virus arrival. In this way the virus will not gain access to the cell, and will not harm the human body naturally," said Prof. Wang.

After three years' concerted effort, the researchers with the university and their coworkers have finally found the "excellent position taker", a type of small chemical compound, which can hopefully interrupt replication and spread of AIDS virus in human body and brings about new idea for developing AIDS drugs.

The achievement has been published on the Journal of the American Chemical Society and has gained highly evaluation.

Prof Wang said the research is now going deeper. They hoped to finalize the fundamental research within three to five years and began clinic research soon.

By People's Daily Online