fˈɑːskɑːɹnɪt ɪz ɐ stɹˈʌktʃɚɹəl mˈɪmɪk ʌvðɪ ˈænaɪən pˌaɪɹoʊfˈɑːsfeɪt ðæt sᵻlˈɛktɪvli ɪnhˈɪbɪts ðə pˌaɪɹoʊfˈɑːsfeɪt bˈaɪndɪŋ sˈaɪt ˌɔn vˈaɪɚɹəl dˌiːˌɛnˈeɪ pˌɑːlɪmɚɹˈeɪzᵻz æt kˌɑːnsəntɹˈeɪʃənz ðæt duːnˌɑːt ɐfˈɛkt hjˈuːmən dˌiːˌɛnˈeɪ pˌɑːlɪmɚɹˈeɪzᵻz.
Foscarnet is a structural mimic of the anion pyrophosphate that selectively inhibits the pyrophosphate binding site on viral DNA polymerases at concentrations that do not affect human DNA polymerases.