protease inhibitor

American  

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a drug that inhibits the action of protease, especially any of a class of antiviral drugs that prevent the cleavage and replication of HIV proteins.

---

protease inhibitor British  

noun

1. any one of a class of antiviral drugs that impair the growth and replication of HIV by inhibiting the action of protease produced by the virus: used in the treatment of AIDS

---

Etymology

Origin of protease inhibitor

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Their report, which will appear in Science, shows that an alternative medication, a viral papain-like protease inhibitor, inhibits disease progression in animals, a necessary step before human drug trials.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2024

And over a few years, we developed a series of antiretroviral drugs, then we added the protease inhibitor.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2022

Paxlovid, known as a protease inhibitor, is designed to block an enzyme the virus needs in order to multiply.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2021

The second compound is another protease inhibitor called ritonavir.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 22, 2021

Oramed has introduced a protease inhibitor and another tweak designed to protect and enhance absorption of its oral insulin.

From Reuters • Oct. 9, 2013