DFH will work with the NIAID’s Division of AIDS (DAIDS) under a material evaluation agreement that will allow for the pre-clinical assessment of the promising maturation inhibitor compounds.
The collaboration will identify drug candidates to advance into studies that will support the filing of an investigational new drug application with the FDA.
Initial efforts will spotlight on second generation compounds, DFH-055 and DFH-110, which have demonstrated potent activity against all HIV strains, including those that proved resistant to the first-in-class maturation inhibitor, bevirimat.
DFH Pharma chief development officer David Martin said: "The collaboration will allow DFH access to world-class HIV drug development experts and help the company to achieve its primary goal of returning this exciting class of HIV drug to the clinic."