Pharmacokinetics and antiviral activity in simian varicella virus-infected monkeys of (R,S)-9-(4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)butyl) guanine, an anti-varicella-zoster virus drug

The acyclic guanosine analog (R,S)-9-(4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)butyl)guanine, ( plus or minus )2HM-HBG, is an effective inhibitor of herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus infections in vitro. This report is concerned with the pharmacokinetic evaluation of the drug in rats and monkeys and its antiviral activity in African green monkeys infected with simian varicella virus (SVV), a virus closely related to varicella-zoster virus that is also susceptible to inhibition by ( plus or minus )2HM-HBG. Elimination half-lives in plasma following intravenous administration to monkeys (100 mu mol/kg of body weight) ranged from 1.8 to 2.2 h.