Pleconaril, a novel antipicornaviral agent.

Despite the availability of therapy for selected symptoms, no specific antiviral agents are available to treat or prevent infections due to the viruses of the Picornaviridae family--rhinoviruses and enteroviruses. Characterization of the three-dimensional structure of picornaviruses in the 1980s allowed development of compounds targeted at the virus itself. Pleconaril is a novel, orally available, systemically acting molecule whose pharmacokinetics are characterized by a two-compartment open model with first-order absorption and with a safety profile similar to that of placebo. It shows promising results in treatment of picornaviral respiratory tract infections, meningitis, and other life-threatening infections.