Pleconaril was originally developed by Sanofi-Aventis, and licensed to ViroPharma in 1997. ViroPharma developed it further, and submitted a New Drug Application to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001. The application was rejected, citing safety concerns; and ViroPharma re-licensed it to Schering-Plough in 2003. The Phase II clinical trial was completed in 2007.

Pleconaril binds to a hydrophobic pocket in VP1, the major protein which comprises the capsid (the outer "shell") of picornaviruses. In enteroviruses, this prevents the virus from exposing its RNA, and in rhinoviruses it also prevents the virus from attaching itself to the host cell.

Arbidol

adamantane derivatives/M2 inhibitors (Amantadine, Rimantadine)

M: VIR

virs (prot)

cutn/syst (hppv, hiva, infl, zoon), epon

drugJ(dnaa, rnaa, rtva, vacc)

M: RES

anat(n, x, l, c)/phys/devp