It was founded in 1987 to encourage the exchange of information and collaborative research on the development of biological, and chemical antiviral agents.
[4][5] The foundation for the International Society for Antiviral Research (ISAR) was laid at meetings held in Rotterdam, Netherlands (April 30 – May 3, 1985)[2]: 3, 23, 51 and in Il Ciocco, Italy (May 10-23, 1987) by NATO.
Its location circulates between the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world, reflecting the distribution of its members.
The next annual meeting, 38th ICAR, will be held in March 13-17, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Erik De Clercq has emphasized the 1987 NATO meeting at Il Ciocco because ideas for both ISAR and ICAR were developed there.