Selected heterocyclecarbonyl amino acid hydroxyethylamino sulfonamide compounds are effective as retroviral protease inhibitors, and in particular as inhibitors of HIV protease. The present invention relates to such retroviral protease inhibitors and, more particularly, relates to selected novel compounds, composition and method for inhibiting retroviral proteases, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease, prophylactically preventing retroviral infection or the spread of a retrovirus, and treatment of a retroviral infection.