|
Current antivirals used in the treatment of acute HHV-6 infection |
|||||||
|
Drug Name |
Brand Name(s)** |
Structure |
Main Use** |
Target |
In Vitro Selectivity against HHV-6 |
Cross BBB? |
Clinical Risks** |
|
(Val)Ganciclovir |
Cytovene, Valcyte |
Nucleoside analogue |
CMV |
Viral Polymerase |
Moderate |
Yes |
Bone Marrow Suppression |
|
Cidofovir |
Vistide |
Nucleotide analogue |
CMV |
Viral Polymerase |
Good |
Minimal |
Renal Toxicity |
|
Foscarnet |
Foscavir |
Pyrophosphate analogue |
CMV |
Viral Polymerase |
Excellent |
Yes |
Renal Toxicity |
| **As reported by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | |||||||
Both foscarnet and cidofovir must be administered with a great deal of hydration to avoid kidney toxicity. Typically a full liter of water is given by IV before each dose of foscarnet. Probenecid is given with cidofovir to protect the kidney.
Valcyte is the only oral medication effective for HHV-6 & CMV and is commonly used in transplant patients to prevent reactivation of herpesviruses. It was also used in a study by infectious disease specialist Jose Montoya at Stanford University to treat patients with cognitive dysfunction and elevated antibodies to HHV-6 and EBV.
In an in vitro study at The Rega Institute funded by the Foundation, the influenza antiviral and Parkinson’s drug amantadine generated a reproducible inhibition of HHV-6 replication, albeit at relatively high (subtoxic) concentrations. Researchers at the Rega institute also found lamotrigine, an anti-epileptic drug, was effective against HHV-6B but not HHV-6A (Naesens et al, 2006).
