protease inhibitor

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of protease inhibitor¹

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.

Read more on Science Daily

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

While drugs that initially seemed promising fell short, by the mid-90s, protease inhibitors slashed virus levels and delivered a medical miracle.

Read more on New York Times

It was just after the data on these protease inhibitors had been unveiled at a major scientific conference.

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

Read more on BBC