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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Dec 10.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Ther. 2018 Aug 10;40(8):1282–1298. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2018.07.006

Table I.

Antiherpesviral agents currently licensed for use.

Drug Antiviral Activity Mechanism of Action Approved Clinical Indications
Acyclovir (valacyclovir) All herpesviruses Nucleoside analogue–polymerase inhibitor Treatment and suppression of HSV and VZV infections
Penciclovir (famciclovir) HSV
VZV		 Nucleoside analogue–polymerase inhibitor Treatment of zoster and treatment and suppression of genital HSV
Penciclovir topical for HSV labialis
Ganciclovir (valganciclovir) All herpesviruses Nucleoside analogue–polymerase inhibitor Treatment and suppression of CMV infections
Foscarnet All herpesviruses Pyrophosphate analogue–polymerase inhibitor Treatment of acyclovir- or ganciclovir-resistant HSV, VZV, and CMV infections
Cidofovir All herpesviruses Nucleotide analogue–polymerase inhibitor Treatment of acyclovir-, ganciclovir, and foscarnet-resistant HSV and CMV infections
Letermovir CMV Terminase complex inhibitor; inhibits cleavage of CMV genome units and viral particle packaging Suppression of CMV infection posttransplantation

CMV= cytomegalovirus; HSV= herpes simplex virus; VZV = varicella zoster virus.