The present invention provides novel methods for determining whether a
compound influences a phase in the life cycle of a virus comprising
providing a cell with the compound and with at least a fragment of the
virus sufficient for performing the phase and determining whether the
phase is influenced in the cell, the cell comprising a nucleic acid
encoding an adenovirus early protein or a functional part, derivative
and/or analogue of the adenovirus early protein. In another aspect, the
invention provides the use of a cell, the cell comprising nucleic acid
encoding an adenovirus early protein, for screening a library of
compounds for the presence of a compound capable of influencing a phase
in the life cycle of a virus capable of entering the cell. The invention
also provides novel methods for identifying a compound with antiviral
activity comprising providing a cell with at least a fragment of a virus,
the fragment capable of performing a step in the life cycle of the virus,
providing the cell with a compound and determining whether the compound
is capable of influencing the step in the life cycle of the virus,
wherein the cell comprises a nucleic acid encoding an adenovirus early
protein or a functional part, derivative and/or analogue of the
adenovirus early protein.