Maribavir

Maribavir (originally named 1263W94) is an experimental oral antiviral drug candidate licensed by ViroPharma from GlaxoSmithKline in 2003 for the prevention and treatment of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) disease in hematopoietic stem cell/bone marrow transplant patients. The mechanism by which maribavir inhibits HCMV replication is by inhibition of an HCMV encoded protein kinase enzyme called UL97 or pUL97. Maribavir showed promise in Phase II clinical trials and was granted fast track status, but failed to meet study goals in a Phase III trial. However, the dosage used in the Phase III trial may have been too low to be efficacious.