[Progress in antiretroviral drugs].

HIV-1, causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, was identified in the early 1980s . The plague quickly spread throughout the world and today 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. The first anti-HIV drug "zidovudine", was discovered in 1985, and many other inhibitory compounds have been developed successfully in the last decade. Today, three classes 17 antiretroviral drugs are available in Japan. This article overviews the history of anti-HIV drug discovery, present HIV-1 treatment, and on-going drug discovery.