Mechanism of action for PREVYMIS® (letermovir)
A novel CMV DNA terminase complex inhibitor1
PREVYMIS works differently compared to other CMV prophylaxis agents
PREVYMIS acts late in the CMV replication cycle after DNA synthesis via a distinct mechanism of action2
- PREVYMIS inhibits the CMV DNA terminase complex (pUL51, pUL56, and pUL89) which is required for viral DNA processing and packaging
Cross resistance between PREVYMIS and drugs outside of this class is unlikely
- PREVYMIS, a CMV DNA terminase complex inhibitor, is fully active against viral populations with substitutions that confer resistance to CMV DNA polymerase inhibitors (cidofovir, foscarnet, and ganciclovir)
- CMV DNA polymerase inhibitors (cidofovir, foscarnet, and ganciclovir) are expected to be fully active against viral populations with substitutions conferring resistance to PREVYMIS
References
- Razonable RR, Humar A. Cytomegalovirus in solid organ transplant recipients—guidelines of the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019;33(9):e13512. doi:10.1111/ctr.13512
- Goldner T, Hewlett G, Ettischer N, Ruebsamen-Schaeff H, Zimmermann H, Lischka P. The novel anticytomegalovirus compound AIC246 (letermovir) inhibits human cytomegalovirus replication through a specific antiviral mechanism that involves the viral terminase. J Virol. 2011;85(20):10884-10893. doi:10.1128/JVI.05265-11