A placebo-controlled Phase IIa study of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s BMS-955176 has shown that the experimental antiretroviral (ARV) is potent, safe and well-tolerated. If approved, the drug would be the first in a new class of ARVs called maturation inhibitors, which interfere with one of the final steps in the virus’s life cycle and are believed to cause immune cells to release only hobbled particles of the virus that can’t infect other cells. Among the study’s participants were those who showed resistance to a previously studied maturation inhibitor. Given at various doses for short courses of treatment, BMS-955176, both alone and combined with other ARVs, led to a considerable drop in viral load. The participants experienced no serious health problems. The study’s findings support future research into the drug. Such a new class of ARVs would hold promise for those whose virus is resistant to other currently available medication classes.