BMS-980616

BMS-980616 is a second-generation small molecule HIV-1 attachment inhibitor originally developed by Bristol Myers Squibb and later part of the portfolio acquired by ViiV Healthcare. It targets the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120, binding to it in a way that prevents the virus from attaching to the CD4 receptor on host T-cells. This mechanism effectively blocks the entry of the virus into the cell, representing a distinct class of antiretroviral therapy. While it showed improved potency and pharmacokinetic properties in preclinical models compared to first-generation inhibitors like fostemsavir, its clinical development appears to have been deprioritized in favor of other assets in the ViiV pipeline.