What is a Protease Inhibitor?
A protease inhibitor is a type of medication which is designed to interfere with the activity of protease, a type of enzyme used by many viruses to reproduce themselves. Protease is most notably utilized by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to replicate itself, and it is also involved in the replication of hepatitis C. By developing drugs which target protease, pharmaceutical companies can market products which will reduce the overall viral load in patients, even if they cannot cure viral infections, and a reduced viral load will help a patient stay healthier longer.
