Antiviral compounds and methods for treating infections caused by double-stranded DNA viruses

1. A compound of the formula:

Guan-PPPβPPβPIm-γ-PβPPβPPPβPβTa;

Guan-PPPβPPβPIm-γ-PβPPβPPPβPβDp;

Guan-PPβPPImβPP-γ-PPβPPPβPPPβTa;

Guan-IPPβPPIβPP-γ-PPβPPPβPPPβTa;

Guan-PPβPPImβPP-γ-PPβPPPβPPPβDp;

Guan-IPPβPPP-γ-PPβPPPPβTa;

Guan-PPβPPP-γ-PPβPPPPβTa;

or

Guan-PPβPPP-γ-PPβPPPPβDp,

wherein GUAN=a guanidinyl radical of the formula:

or its tautomer, wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , or R 4 is H, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl;

P=4-amino-2-carbonyl-N-methylpyrrole; γ=gamma-aminobutyric acid;

β=beta-alanine; I or Im=4-amino-2-carbonyl-N-methylimidazole;

Ta=3,3′-diamino-N-methyldipropylamine; and Dp=(dimethylamino)propylamine.

2. The compound of claim 1 which is in the form of a formate salt.

3. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of claim 1 in a therapeutically amount effective for the treatment of polyomavirus infected cells, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

4. A method of treating cells infected with a polyomavirus comprising administering to a subject infected with the polyomavirus, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .