Science for You: New treatments for HIV/AIDS and other illnesses

Arun Ghosh, the Ian P. Rothwell Distinguished Professor in the departments of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, created the drug Darunavir, an antiretroviral medication that was the first available to treat drug-resistant strains of HIV/AIDS. In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration expanded the use of the drug to all people with HIV/AIDS, including children.

Ghosh also designed a molecule that has significant promise in treating Alzheimer’s disease. The molecule is designed to only bind to its target and is less likely to cause harmful side effects. Several drugs based on this molecular target have made it to clinical trials, including one based on a molecule Ghosh designed previously.

Ghosh is one of more than 100 members of the Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, which is accelerating the translation of basic research into life-changing treatments. Purdue faculty have 18 drugs currently in clinical trials and have launched 15 startup companies based on their discoveries, placing the university among the top institutions in the country for drug discovery.