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Metal-containing compounds show promise as HIV weapon

A molecule consisting of two "cages" of metallic atoms bound to carbon has shown great promise in preliminary tests of becoming a new weapon in the anti-HIV arsenal, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report. The molecule - called metallacarborane - and its variants appear to fight HIV protease, an enzyme critical in the virus' life cycle. Protease inhibitors are some of the key drugs used to fight HIV/AIDS, but they have side effects, and viruses can develop resistance to them.