Nelfinavir, also known as AG 1343, is a potent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 protease inhibitor with a Ki of 2 nM in vitro. Nelfinavir also displays broad spectrum anticancer activity and can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and trigger apoptosis. Nelfinavir has two main mechanisms of cancer cell growth inhibition, inhibition of the Akt/PKB signaling pathway and activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress with subsequent unfolded protein response. Nelfinavir also displays efficacy against malaria, tuberculosis and SARS and exhibits anti-MERS-CoV activity in vero cells in vitro.
