Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras are using molecular dynamics simulations to develop a more effective drug to treat HIV.
The research has been published in the ACS publications journal Biochemistry that publishes high-impact research across all of biological chemistry.
According to the research team’s discovery, introducing electrostatic interaction sites on potential drug molecules can enhance the efficacy of antiviral drugs against HIV.
The team is working to incur the HIV-1 protease (HIVPR), an enzyme used by the AIDS virus for growth and maturation.
“The pressing need for better drugs to combat drug-resistant HIV strains led our researchers to delve into the molecular structure of the protease to identify weak sites that can offer a handle for better inhibitor development,” said Sanjib Senapati, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras.
