210 articles
Peramivir anhydrous
Peramivir anhydrous (Rapivab, RAPIACTA) is a cyclopentane intravenous neuraminidase inhibitor for acute uncomplicated influenza; single 600 mg dose within 2 days of onset, FDA approved December 2014.
Permethrin
Permethrin, a synthetic Type I pyrethroid insecticide first synthesized in 1973, is used in agriculture, mosquito control, treated clothing, and as 5% cream and 1% rinse for scabies and lice, acting on insect sodium channels.
Pibrentasvir
Pibrentasvir is a pan-genotypic hepatitis C NS5A inhibitor developed by AbbVie and marketed as part of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, sold as Mavyret and approved by the FDA in 2017.
Polyoxin
Polyoxin: peptidyl nucleoside antifungal antibiotics from Streptomyces cacaoi var. asoensis, discovered 1965; polyoxin D zinc salt (FRAC 19, Oso, Affirm) inhibits chitin synthase as a UDP-GlcNAc mimic for crop disease control.
Pradefovir
Pradefovir (pradefovir mesylate, MB-06866, remofovir) is a HepDirect liver-targeted prodrug of adefovir for chronic hepatitis B, activated by hepatic CYP3A4; approved in China in 2024, noninferior to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in phase 2/3 trials.
Praziquantel
Praziquantel (PZQ, Biltricide) is a 600 mg oral anthelmintic active against trematodes and cestodes, jointly discovered by Bayer and Merck in the 1970s. It is the WHO-recommended 40 mg/kg single-dose treatment and sole recommended drug for human schistosomiasis, used in mass drug administration.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is antiretroviral medicine taken by HIV-negative people to prevent HIV, about 99% effective against sexual transmission when taken as prescribed. Options include daily Truvada, Descovy, injectable cabotegravir, and twice-yearly lenacapavir.
Primaquine
Primaquine is an 8-aminoquinoline antimalarial drug, synthesized in 1945, that kills dormant liver-stage parasites to prevent relapses of vivax and ovale malaria, though it can cause hemolysis in people with G6PD deficiency.
Pritelivir
Pritelivir (BAY 57-1293, AIC316), an AiCuris thiazolylamide helicase-primase inhibitor for HSV-1/2, in Phase 3 PRIOH-1 for acyclovir-resistant HSV with FDA priority review.
Pyrantel
Pyrantel (pyrantel pamoate) is a tetrahydropyrimidine anthelmintic, a nicotinic acetylcholine agonist, used OTC for pinworm at 11 mg/kg and against soil-transmitted helminths; resistance reported in Ancylostoma caninum.
Pyronaridine
Pyronaridine, a benzonaphthyridine antimalarial synthesized in China in 1970, is used with artesunate (Pyramax) as a WHO-recommended ACT for uncomplicated falciparum malaria; transient transaminase rises are its main safety signal.
Quinfamide
Quinfamide (WIN-40014, Quinfamida) is a dichloroacetyl tetrahydroquinoline luminal amebicide for intestinal amebiasis, given as one-day 300 mg adult or single 4.3 mg/kg pediatric doses; marketed mainly in Mexico, not FDA approved.
Quinine
Quinine is an alkaloid from the bark of South American cinchona trees, the first effective malaria treatment and now a second- or third-line antimalarial and tonic water ingredient.
Ravidasvir hydrochloride
Ravidasvir hydrochloride (盐酸拉维达韦, PPI-668, ASC-16) is an oral pangenotypic HCV NS5A inhibitor used with sofosbuvir; developed via DNDi-Pharco collaboration, WHO EML-listed 2023, approved in Egypt, China, and Malaysia.
Remdesivir
Remdesivir (GS-5734, Veklury) is Gilead's intravenous nucleotide-analog prodrug inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase; first FDA-approved COVID-19 drug (2020), originally an unsuccessful Ebola candidate, with modest benefit in oxygen-requiring hospitalized and high-risk outpatients.
Ribavirin
Ribavirin, a guanosine nucleoside analogue synthesized in 1970 at ICN Pharmaceuticals, is a broad-spectrum antiviral acting via IMPDH inhibition, polymerase inhibition, RNA mutagenesis, and immunomodulation; FDA-licensed for RSV and hepatitis C, with hemolytic anemia and teratogenicity as key toxicities.
Rilematovir
Rilematovir (JNJ-53718678) was Janssen's oral small-molecule RSV fusion (F) protein inhibitor of the indole class; proof of concept in a challenge study, but development was discontinued in April 2022 after weak efficacy in natural infection.
Rilpivirine
Rilpivirine (RPV, TMC278), a diarylpyrimidine NNRTI for HIV-1, dosed 25 mg once daily with food; non-inferior to efavirenz in ECHO/THRIVE; also long-acting injectable with cabotegravir (Cabenuva).
Rimantadine
Rimantadine (Flumadine, rimantadine hydrochloride) is an adamantane antiviral that blocks the M2 ion channel of influenza A only; FDA approved 1993, abandoned after widespread S31N resistance.
Ritonavir
Ritonavir (ABT-538), an Abbott HIV protease inhibitor approved by the FDA in 1996 (Ki 0.015 nM), now used mainly at 100 mg doses as a CYP3A4/P-gp pharmacokinetic booster for HIV drugs and as the booster in Paxlovid.
RP7214
RP7214 (RP-7214) is an oral small-molecule inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) developed by Rhizen Pharmaceuticals, tested in phase 2 for mild COVID-19 and planned for AML, later discontinued.
Secnidazole
Secnidazole (Solosec) is a long-half-life 5-nitroimidazole antimicrobial given as a single 2 g oral dose for bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis; FDA-approved 2017 (BV) and 2021 (trichomoniasis), similar to metronidazole, possibly inferior to ornidazole.
Sertaconazole
Sertaconazole (Ertaczo) is a broad-spectrum imidazole antifungal used topically as 2% cream for tinea pedis and other superficial mycoses; it inhibits ergosterol synthesis and also damages fungal membranes, acting fungistatically and fungicidally.
Simeprevir
Simeprevir (TMC435, Olysio) is a second-wave macrocyclic HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor approved by the FDA in November 2013 for genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon/ribavirin, limited by the Q80K polymorphism; EU marketing withdrawn in 2018.
Simnotrelvir/ritonavir
Simnotrelvir/ritonavir (Xiannuoxin, 先诺欣) is Simcere's oral 3CL protease inhibitor combination for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults, conditionally approved in China January 2023, regular approval July 2024, shortening symptom resolution by about 36 hours.
Sofosbuvir
Sofosbuvir (Sovaldi), Gilead's nucleotide analog NS5B polymerase inhibitor approved by the FDA in December 2013, treats chronic hepatitis C; first all-oral HCV regimen, 400 mg once daily, now available as low-cost generics.
Sorivudine
Sorivudine, also known as BV-araU or Bravavir, is an antiviral drug for herpes zoster that was withdrawn after fatal interactions with 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy in Japan in 1993.
Stibogluconic acid
Stibogluconic acid is the gluconic acid complex of pentavalent antimony underlying sodium stibogluconate (SSG, Pentostam), the 1945 antileishmanial injection drug; its structure remains oligomeric and incompletely defined.
Sulconazole
Sulconazole (Exelderm, Sulcosyn) is a topical imidazole antifungal, 1% cream or solution, FDA-approved 1985, for tinea corporis, cruris, pedis, and versicolor, similar in efficacy to clotrimazole and miconazole.
Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine, sold as Fansidar, is a fixed-dose combination of the antimalarials sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine, approved in 1981 and now used mainly to prevent malaria in pregnant women and children.