edgepedia

Antiviral, antifungal, and antiparasitic drugs

210 articles

Fluconazole

Fluconazole (Diflucan) is a triazole antifungal developed at Pfizer, launched 1990, inhibiting fungal ERG11 lanosterol demethylase; oral bioavailability over 90%, 30-hour half-life, used for Candida and Cryptococcus infections with known resistance mechanisms.

Flutrimazole

Flutrimazole (Micetal) is a topical imidazole antifungal, C22H16F2N2, ATC D01AC16, inhibiting lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase; used as 1% cream, gel, powder, or solution against dermatophytes, Candida, and other fungi.

Fomivirsen

Fomivirsen (Vitravene), the first FDA-approved antisense drug (1998), a 21-mer phosphorothioate oligonucleotide targeting CMV IE2 mRNA, given intravitreally for CMV retinitis in AIDS; withdrawn in Europe 2002 and the US 2006.

Fosamprenavir

Fosamprenavir (Lexiva, Telzir) is a prodrug of the HIV protease inhibitor amprenavir, approved by the FDA in 2003 and EMA in 2004; EU marketing was withdrawn in November 2025 and U.S. use is no longer common.

Foscarnet

Foscarnet (trisodium phosphonoformate), sold as Foscavir, is an intravenous antiviral that blocks viral DNA polymerase and is used for CMV retinitis and resistant herpes infections.

Fosmidomycin

Fosmidomycin (FR-31564), a Streptomyces phosphonate antibiotic, inhibits DXR in the MEP isoprenoid pathway; an antimalarial drug lead with poor permeability, 3.5 h half-life, and no drug approval.

Fostemsavir

Fostemsavir (Rukobia, BMS-663068) is a prodrug of temsavir, the first gp120-directed HIV-1 attachment inhibitor, FDA-approved in 2020 for multidrug-resistant HIV-1 in heavily treatment-experienced adults; 600 mg twice daily.

Ftibamzone

Ftibamzone (酞丁安, phthiobuzone, V6133), a thiosemicarbazone topical antiviral developed in China, inhibits viral DNA and early protein synthesis; used for herpes simplex, zoster, trachoma, and condyloma acuminatum, not US-approved.

Furaprevir

Furaprevir (TG-2349) is an investigational HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor developed by TaiGen and Dongguan HEC TaiGen for chronic hepatitis C; it reached Phase 3 combination trials with yimitasvir but was never approved and development was abandoned in 2023.

Galidesivir

Galidesivir (BCX4430, immucillin A) is an investigational adenosine nucleoside analog antiviral inhibiting viral RNA polymerase, active against 20+ RNA viruses including Marburg and Ebola, in FDA Animal Rule development for Marburg.

Glecaprevir

Glecaprevir (ABT-493), with pibrentasvir as Mavyret/Maviret, is an AbbVie HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor approved 2017; pangenotypic 8-week regimen, contraindicated in Child-Pugh B/C hepatic impairment.

Grazoprevir anhydrous

Grazoprevir anhydrous is a hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitor, combined with elbasvir as Zepatier and approved in the United States in 2016 for chronic HCV genotypes 1 or 4.

Griseofulvin

Griseofulvin, a fungistatic antibiotic from Penicillium griseofulvum (discovered 1939, launched 1959), treats dermatophyte infections by binding microtubular proteins; first oral antifungal, WHO essential drug.

Haloprogin

Haloprogin (C9H4Cl3IO, brand Halotex) is a discontinued halogenated phenolic ether topical antifungal, approved 1982, used at 1% twice daily for tinea and cutaneous candidiasis; mechanism unknown, more skin irritation than clotrimazole.

Hamycin

Hamycin, a heptaene polyene antifungal antibiotic from Streptomyces pimprina, marketed in India from 1963 for Candida infections; ergosterol-binding, toxic, later liposomized, now discontinued.

HEPCPR trial

The HEPCPR trial was a randomized study of peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin in 41 HCV/HIV-coinfected patients who had not responded to prior interferon therapy, reporting an intent-to-treat SVR of 21.9%.

Hexamidine

Hexamidine is an aromatic diamidine antiseptic (C20H26N4O2), used as its diisethionate salt for skin infections, amoebic keratitis, and as a preservative, limited to 0.1% in cosmetics.

Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil, HCQ), a 4-aminoquinoline DMARD derived from chloroquine and quinine, treats rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, skin conditions, and malaria; large trials found no COVID-19 benefit, and retinopathy is the main long-term risk.

Hydroxystilbamidine

Hydroxystilbamidine (2-hydroxy-4,4'-stilbenedicarboxamidine, CAS 495-99-8) is a stilbenoid aromatic diamidine. Its isethionate salt, approved in 1953 and now discontinued, treated blastomycosis and leishmaniasis; the dye remains a histochemical stain and neuroanatomic tracer.

Ibrexafungerp

Ibrexafungerp (SCY-078, MK-3118; Brexafemme), first-in-class oral triterpenoid antifungal derived from enfumafungin; inhibits 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase; FDA-approved 2021 for vulvovaginal candidiasis and recurrent RVVC reduction.

Indinavir anhydrous

Indinavir anhydrous (Crixivan, CHEMBL115) is a Merck HIV protease inhibitor, third licensed in the US, FDA-approved March 13, 1996; known for nephrolithiasis, triple-therapy efficacy, and discontinuation in the US and EU.

Interferon alfacon-1

Interferon alfacon-1 (consensus interferon, Infergen) is a synthetic 166-amino-acid type I interferon alpha for chronic hepatitis C, FDA-approved 1997, withdrawn in the EU in 2006.

Islatravir

Islatravir (MK-8591, EFdA), Merck's nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor for HIV-1; 2021 FDA clinical holds over lymphocyte declines; approved 2026 as IDVYNSO with doravirine; once-weekly ISL/LEN in Phase 3.

Isoconazole

Isoconazole (Travogen) is a racemic imidazole antifungal, CAS 27523-40-6, C18H14Cl4N2O, used as the nitrate in 1% creams and vaginal tablets; it inhibits fungal 14α-demethylase and treats dermatomycoses and vaginal candidiasis.

Istevir hydrochloride (AI-assisted COVID-19 drug)

Iscartrelvir hydrochloride (盐酸伊司特韦片, trade name 艾普司韦, codes WPV01/WU-04) is an oral SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitor for adult mild/moderate COVID-19, conditionally approved by China's NMPA in July 2026 as a Class 1 innovative drug, the first AI-assisted original drug approved in China and first DEL-derived approved small molecule.

Itraconazole

Itraconazole (Sporanox, SUBA-itraconazole) is a Janssen-discovered triazole antifungal inhibiting fungal 14-alpha-demethylase; used for histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, aspergillosis, and onychomycosis, with CYP3A4 interactions and TDM.

Ivermectin

Ivermectin, also sold as Stromectol, Mectizan, and Ivomec, is a broad-spectrum avermectin-class antiparasitic drug used against roundworms, mites, and lice; developers Campbell and Ōmura shared the 2015 Nobel Prize.

Ketoconazole

Ketoconazole (Nizoral) is a Janssen imidazole antifungal, the first oral broad-spectrum drug for systemic mycoses (announced 1977, FDA-approved 1981); oral use was suspended in the EU in 2013 over hepatotoxicity, while topical forms and Cushing's syndrome use remain.

Ledipasvir

Ledipasvir (GS-5885) is a Gilead HCV NS5A inhibitor, marketed in the fixed-dose combination Harvoni (ledipasvir 90 mg/sofosbuvir 400 mg), FDA-approved in 2014 for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 and later for ages 3 and up, genotypes 1, 4, 5, 6.

Letermovir

Letermovir (Prevymis, AIC246, MK-8228) is a CMV DNA terminase complex inhibitor, targeting pUL56, used as prophylaxis in CMV-seropositive allogeneic HSCT recipients and high-risk kidney transplant recipients; approved in the EU in 2018 and the US in 2017.