pritelivir

**Pritelivir** is an orally administered, direct-acting antiviral small molecule and first-in-class herpes simplex virus helicase-primase inhibitor. It inhibits the HSV helicase-primase complex required for viral DNA replication, with activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2, including strains resistant to nucleoside analogues such as acyclovir and strains with reduced susceptibility to foscarnet. Originally discovered at Bayer and subsequently developed by AiCuris, pritelivir was approved by the FDA in October 2026 as Hovilpri for immunocompromised adults with mucocutaneous HSV lesions refractory, with or without documented resistance, to acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir. The approved oral regimen is a 400 mg loading dose on day 1 followed by 100 mg once daily until lesions heal.

Brand names

Hovilpri

Other names

pritelivir