Lipid conjugates of therapeutic peptides and protease inhibitors

Compounds wherein therapeutic peptides, including HIV protease inhibitors, are covalently linked to phospholipids, glycerides or other membrane-targeting and membrane-anchoring species, and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, together with processes for their preparation. The invention also provides novel HIV protease inhibitors. The compounds of the present invention possess useful pharmacological properties such as antiviral activity towards viral infection and inhibitory activity towards viral proteases. Therefore, these compounds can be used in the prophylaxis or treatment of viral infections, in particular infections caused by HIV and other retroviruses. The targeting technology as described for the protease inhibitors is also applicable to a variety of inhibitors of other enzymes.