Transframe peptide inhibitor of viral protease (U.S. Patent Number 5,872,210)

The present invention describes small, water soluble peptides isolated from a native virus inhibitory sequence that blocks maturation of the virally encoded protease and inhibits the mature protease as well. The peptides may be used in the treatment of virally infected cells, in the preparation of vaccine formulations, in the generation of clinically relevant antibodies and anti-idiotypic antibodies and in the generation of a screening assay or kit that can be used to identify other similarly acting protease inhibitors.