Abstract: The present invention provides combinations comprising a viral maturation inhibitor and another therapeutically effective pharmaceutical agent. The invention is also directed to methods of treating a viral infection by administering such combinations.

Abstract: This invention provides: agents determined to be capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a macrophage-tropic primary isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell, but not a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell; and agents determined to be capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell, but not a macrophage-tropic primary isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell. This invention also provides: agents capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a macrophage tropic primary isolate of HIV-1 with a CD+ cell susceptible to infection by a macrophage-tropic primary isolate of HIV-1; and agents capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1 with a CD4+ cell susceptible to infection by a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1. The agents include but are not limited to antibodies.

Abstract: This invention provides an antibody capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of an HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein+ cell with an appropriate CD4+ cell without cross reacting with the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein or CD4 and capable of inhibiting infection by one or more strains of HIV-1. This antibody is then used to identify a molecule which is important for HIV infection. Different uses of the antibody and the molecule are described.

Abstract: This invention provides a polypeptide comprising a fragment of a chemokine receptor capable of inhibiting HIV-1 infection. In an embodiment, the chemokine receptor is C-C CKR-5. In another embodiment, the fragment comprises at least one extracellular domain of the chemokine receptor C-C CKR-5. This invention further provides different uses of the chemokine receptor for inhibiting HIV-1 infection.

Abstract: This invention provides: agents determined to be capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a macrophage-tropic primary isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell, but not a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell; and agents determined to be capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell, but not a macrophage-tropic primary isolate of HIV-1 to a CD4+ cell. This invention also provides: agents capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a macrophage tropic primary isolate of HIV-1 with a CD+ cell susceptible to infection by a macrophage-tropic primary isolate of HIV-1; and agents capable of specifically inhibiting the fusion of a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1 with a CD4+ cell susceptible to infection by a T cell-tropic isolate of HIV-1. The agents include but are not limited to antibodies.

Abstract: This invention provides methods for inhibiting fusion of HIV-1 to CD4? cells which comprise contacting CD4? cells with a non-chemokine agent capable of binding to a chemokine receptor in an amount and under conditions such that fusion of HIV-1 to the CD4+ cells is inhibited. This invention also provides methods for inhibiting HIV-1 infection of CD4+ cells which comprise contacting CD4+ cells with a non-chemokine agent capable of binding to a chemokine receptor in an amount and under conditions such that fusion of HIV-1 to the CD4+ cells is inhibited, thereby inhibiting the HIV-1 infection. This invention provides non-chemokine agents capable of binding to the chemokine receptor and inhibiting fusion of HIV-1 to CD4+ cells. This invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an amount of the non-chemokine agent capable of binding to the chemokine receptor and inhibiting fusion of HIV-1 to CD4+ cells effective to prevent fusion of HIV-1 to CD4+ cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: Betulin and dihydrobetulin acyl derivatives according to the present invention have been found to have potent anti-HIV activity. The compounds of the present invention have Formula I as described herein, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; wherein R1 is a C2-C20 substituted or unsubstituted carboxyacyl or ester thereof; R2 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl or —OR3, R3 is C2-C20 substituted or unsubstituted carboxyacyl; and R4 is hydrogen or C(C6H5)3; wherein the dashed line represents an optional double bond between C20 and C29.

Abstract: Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by disrupting the processing of the viral Gag capsid (CA) protein (p24) from the CA-spacer peptide 1 (SP1) protein precursor (p25) is disclosed. Amino acid sequences containing a mutation in the Gag p25 protein, with the mutation resulting in a decrease in the inhibition of processing of p25 to p24 by dimethylsuccinyl betulinic acid or dimethylsuccinyl betulin, polynucleotides encoding such mutated sequences and antibodies that selectively bind such mutated sequences are also included. Methods of inhibiting, inhibitory compounds and methods of discovering inhibitory compounds that target proteolytic processing of the HIV Gag protein are included. In one embodiment, such compounds inhibit the interaction of the HIV protease enzyme with Gag by binding to Gag rather than to the protease enzyme.