Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Feb;26(2):235-241.
doi: 10.1080/13543784.2017.1274733. Epub 2016 Dec 28.

Letermovir for the management of cytomegalovirus infection

Lyndsey J Bowman  1 , Jennifer Iuppa Melaragno  2 , Daniel C Brennan  3
Affiliations
Review

Letermovir for the management of cytomegalovirus infection

Lyndsey J Bowman et al. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2017 Feb.

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Available antivirals are fraught with adverse effects and risk for the development of CMV resistance. Letermovir is a novel antiviral in the late stages of drug development for the treatment and prevention of CMV. Areas covered: A MEDLINE search of the MeSH terms 'letermovir,' 'cytomegalovirus,' 'hematopoietic stem cell transplant,' and 'solid organ transplant,' was last conducted on 15 August 2016. Articles were selected on the basis of their contribution to current knowledge about letermovir. Expert opinion: Letermovir's mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile, and favorable efficacy and safety make it an attractive option for both the prevention and treatment of CMV in immunocompromised patients. The lack of cross-resistance with other antivirals and the absence of myelosuppression are two prominent characteristics of letermovir that could support broad use of this product following FDA-approval. One major limitation is its lack of activity against other herpesviruses, which are commonly seen in immunocompromised hosts. We believe that with additional clinical efficacy data, this medication could emerge as a primary option for the prevention and treatment of CMV in the immunocompromised patient population.

Keywords: Cytomegalovirus; letermovir; terminase inhibitor; transplantation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources