A viral capsid inhibitor is an antiviral drug that binds to viral capsid proteins and interferes with the assembly or dissasembly of the capsid thus blocking the replication of the virus. Assembly inhibitors are more common but disassembly (uncoating) inhibitors have also been identified. Individual viral capsid inhibitors typically bind selectively to the capsid of a single virus or a closely related group of viruses, making them unsuitable as broad-spectrum antivirals. The most notable example of a viral capsid inhibitor is lenacapavir which has been approved for treating and preventing HIV-1 infections. Additional examples are presented in the table below.
See also HIV capsid inhibition
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