clevudine

Clevudine is a synthetic pyrimidine nucleoside analogue and small molecule antiviral drug used primarily for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. It acts as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, specifically inhibiting the DNA polymerase activity of HBV. After oral administration, clevudine is phosphorylated intracellularly to its active triphosphate form, which competes with thymidine for incorporation into viral DNA. This results in inhibition of HBV DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) and suppression of viral replication[3][5][6]. Clevudine has demonstrated potent anti-HBV activity both in vitro and in vivo, with a long half-life that allows sustained suppression of viral replication even after discontinuation[3][8]. The drug was discovered at Yale University and developed by Bukwang Pharmaceuticals; it is approved for use in South Korea and the Philippines under the brand names Levovir and Revovir[6][7].

Brand names

LevovirRevovir

Other names

2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-5-methylarabinofuranosyluracil1-(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-methyluracil