title: Hepatitis C treatment highlights from the 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease meeting.
abstract: Development of more effective hepatitis C (HCV) antivirals has been rapid. The addition of orally administered medications that target the virus (direct acting antivirals [DAA]) to pegylated interferon and ribavirin have dramatically increased sustained virologic response rates in genotype 1-infected patients. However, the side effect profile remains challenging and the dosing schedule complicated. The DAAs currently in development possess the promise of once- or twice-daily dosing schedules, improved tolerance profiles, higher resistance barriers, and pan-genotypic antiviral activity. Emerging interferon-sparing, combination DAA data demonstrates that an interferon is not essential to achieve sustained virological response. This will expand the proportion of HCV-infected patients who can be considered for therapy and will allow for better-tolerated regimens. Expertise in HCV antiviral resistance, drug metabolism, and drug-drug interactions and optimization of drug adherence are now key requirements in the DAA era.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Ottawa, Canada. ccooper@ottawahospital.on.ca
authors.forename: Curtis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons