AMD070 is an experimental anti-HIV treatment which belongs to the new class of drugs known as CXCR4 inhibitors. This class of drug stops the process of HIV attachment and entry into CD4 T-cells by blocking the CXCR4 coreceptor, the receptor used by the syncitium-inducing phenotype of HIV. This HIV variant is associated with a fast CD4 T-cell decline and late-stage HIV disease.

AMD070 is not active against the more common HIV variant which uses the CCR5 co-receptor. CXCR4 is expressed on a much wider range of cell types than CCR5, and the potential for adverse effects from CXCR4 inhibition may thus be greater.

Reference

Schols D et al. Anti-HIV activity profile of AMD070, an orally bioavailable CXCR4 antagonist H. Tenth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Boston, abstract 563, 2003.