3'-Deoxythymidine (3dT) is a weakly active dideoxynucleoside in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected cells because of its slow phosphorylation by cellular thymidine kinase. 3dT diphosphate dimyristoylglycerol (3dTDP-DMG), a phospholipid prodrug, was synthesized and found in vitro to be 18- to 50-fold more effective than 3dT in CEM and HT4-6C cells. In CEM cells, the selectivity index of 3dTDP-DMG was 270 versus 48 for 3dT, an increase of 5.6-fold. In thymidine kinase-deficient mutant CEM cells infected with HIV, 3dT and zidovudine (AZT) were virtually inactive but 3dTDP-DMG retained substantial activity, suggesting that its greatly increased antiviral activity is due in part to bypass of thymidine kinase. 3dTDP-DMG was 14- to 37-fold more active than 3dT in AZT-sensitive and AZT-resistant clinical isolates of HIV; no cross-resistance with AZT was noted. The results suggest that lipid prodrugs may be utilized in some cases to confer unique metabolic advantages over the corresponding free nucleoside; in the case of 3dTDP-DMG, an 18- to 50-fold increase in antiretroviral activity was observed in LAV-infected cells. The strategy would seem to be especially useful for antiviral nucleosides which are poorly phosphorylated.