Current and future hepatitis C therapies.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients has evolved significantly in the past 15 years. With a better knowledge of viral kinetics and molecular virology of the hepatitis C virus, we have gone from a low chance of viral eradication to a chance as high as 50%. Despite this, current therapies are not ideal and are associated with side effects, complications, and poor patient tolerability. Therefore, an urgent need to look for better strategies to treat this disease is imperative. Thanks to the current knowledge and ongoing research, we know the way we treat hepatitis C today will change dramatically in the next 5-10 years. This review will focus on current therapies for hepatitis C and the most recent advances in the search for new therapies.
Firpi
Roberto J
RJ
Section of Hepatobiliary Diseases and Liver Transplantation, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0214, USA. firpirj@medicine.ufl.edu
Nelson
David R
DR
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D007372:Interferons