AZT 5'-Phosphonates: Achievements and Trends in the Treatment and Prevention of HIV Infection.

Despite the numerous drawbacks, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT, Zidovudine, Retrovir) remains one of the key drugs used in the treatment and prevention of HIV infection in both monotherapy and HAART. A strategy in searching for new effective and safe AZT agents among latent (depot) forms of AZT has yielded its first positive results. In particular, the sodium salt of AZT 5'-H-phosphonate (Nikavir, phosphazide) has demonstrated clinical advantages over parent AZT: first and foremost, lower toxicity and better tolerability.