Question

Which of the following statements is true regarding the following structure (nevirapine)?

• A. It is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI).
• B. It binds to an allosteric binding site next to the substrate binding site of reverse transcriptase
• C. It is an achiral molecule
• D. It is an example of a second-generation drug of its class

Hint:

NNRTIs like nevirapine target an allosteric site on reverse transcriptase — distinct from the active site used by NRTIs.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Nevirapine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). Unlike NRTIs, it does not mimic nucleosides. Instead, it binds to a distinct allosteric site on the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase enzyme, causing conformational changes that inhibit its activity. This mechanism classifies it clearly as an NNRTI, not an NRTI.