AZT

 

AZT stands for azidothymidine and is also known as zidovudine. AZT was developed in 1964 as a possible treatment for cancer, but in 1987 it was the first drug used to treat HIV. By itself, AZT wasn’t very effective, but that changed in 1996 when it was combined with a number of other antiretroviral drugs. AZT is now hardly ever prescribed, as more effective HIV treatment is available.