WIN compounds: on the way to efficient antipicornaviral agent. A historical survey

Rhino- and enteroviruses of the Enterovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family are the causative agents of a wide variety of diseases. To date, neither synthetic antiviral drug nor an effective vaccine exists. A leading strategy to combat these viruses is the development of compounds with capsid-inhibiting activity that block viral uncoating and/or viral attachment to the host cell receptors. This review describes step-by-step development of the WIN compounds, which led to the discovery of pleconaril and the subsequent attempts to modify it in order to improve drug-like properties.