title: Direct-acting antiviral agents and the path to interferon independence.
abstract: Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major global health problem; there are approximately 120 to 130 million chronic infections worldwide. Since the discovery of HCV 24 years ago, there has been a relentless effort to develop successful antiviral therapies. Studies of interferon-α-based therapies have helped define treatment parameters, and these treatment strategies have cured a substantial percentage of patients. However, interferon-α must be injected; there are problems with tolerability, adherence, and incomplete response in a large percentage of patients. New drug candidates designed to target the virus or the host have recently been introduced at an unprecedented pace. In phase I-III studies, these agents have exceeded expectations and achieved rates of response previously not thought possible. We are, therefore, entering a new era of therapy for HCV infection and interferon independence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa; Roy G. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Electronic address: warren-schmidt@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Warren N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Section of Hepatobiliary Disease, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta, Department of Virology, Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, Créteil, France; INSERM U955, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pawlotsky
authors.affiliation: University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology Section, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: GI Division and Liver Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Raymond T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons
keywords: DAA; NS3/4A Protease Inhibitor; Non-nucleoside; Nucleoside/Nucleotide