ViroLogik's innovative approach is based on a novel concept to prevent formation of drug resistance and, hence, to assure sustained efficacy of ViroLogik's drugs. The host cell proteasome which is essential for replication of viruses is being targeted. It has a very low mutation rate and therefore displays a very low changeability. Thus, it is very unlikely that ViroLogik's innovative drugs will loose their inhibitory effect on the proteasome of the host cell and the viruses (see figure below).

In contrast, conventional antiviral drugs target parts of viruses itself. However, in particular RNA viruses such as HCV, HIV, and IAV have a mutation rate that is several million-fold higher as compared to the one of the host cell proteasome. The resulting high changeability of the viruses will lead very quickly to viruses which are resistant to the conventional drug. Ultimately, the conventional drug will loose its efficacy.

The proteasome is a main constituent of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) of the host cell. It is responsible for degradation of misfolded and aged proteins. Furthermore, the proteasome is tightly involved in cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell cycle, transcription, and antigen presentation.