Agouron Pharmaceuticals

Agouron Pharmaceuticals pioneered structure-based drug design, leading to the development and commercialization of Viracept (nelfinavir mesylate), a market-leading HIV protease inhibitor. The company also advanced several late-stage clinical candidates in oncology, virology, and ophthalmology before its acquisition by Warner-Lambert in 1999. At the time of acquisition, Agouron's pipeline included promising agents for cancer, age-related macular degeneration, rhinovirus infection, and additional anti-HIV compounds. Its approach significantly accelerated the pace and precision of new drug discovery compared to traditional methods.[1][4][5]