Ceragenin

These compounds have a net positive charge that is electrostatically attracted to the negative-charged cell membranes of certain viruses, fungi and bacteria.

While CSAs have a mechanism of action that is also seen in antimicrobial peptides, which form part of the body's innate immune system, they avoid many of the difficulties associated with their use as medicines.

In data previously presented by Savage and other researchers, CSAs were shown to have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity.

[3] Derya Unutmaz, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tested several CSAs in his laboratory for their ability to kill HIV directly.

"[4] On February 6, 2006, researchers including Savage announced, before peer review, that a ceragenin compound, CSA-54, appeared to inactivate HIV.