title: Current and future therapies for hepatitis C virus infection: from viral proteins to host targets.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most important problem across the world. It causes acute and chronic liver infection. Different approaches are in use to inhibit HCV infection, including small organic compounds, siRNA, shRNA and peptide inhibitors. This review article summarizes the current and future therapies for HCV infection. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for articles published in English to give an insight into the current inhibitors against this life-threatening virus. HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors and nucleoside/nucleotide inhibitors of NS5B polymerase are presently in the most progressive stage of clinical development, but they are linked with the development of resistance and viral breakthrough. Boceprevir and telaprevir are the two most important protease inhibitors that have been approved recently for the treatment of HCV infection. These two drugs are now the part of standard-of-care treatment (SOC). There are also many other drugs in phase III of clinical development. When exploring the various host-cell-targeting compounds, the most hopeful results have been demonstrated by cyclophilin inhibitors. The current SOC treatment of HCV infection is Peg-interferon, ribavirin and protease inhibitors (boceprevir or telaprevir). The future treatment of this life-threatening disease must involve combinations of therapies hitting multiple targets of HCV and host factors. It is strongly expected that the near future, treatment of HCV infection will be a combination of direct-acting agents (DAA) without the involvement of interferon to eliminate its side effects.
authors: Atta-ur-Rehman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan, mi.bannu@yahoo.com.
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Imran
authors: Sobia
authors: S
authors: Manzoor
authors: Nasir Mahmood
authors: NM
authors: Khattak
authors: Madiha
authors: M
authors: Khalid
authors: Qazi Laeeque
authors: QL
authors: Ahmed
authors: Fahed
authors: F
authors: Parvaiz
authors: Muqddas
authors: M
authors: Tariq
authors: Javed
authors: J
authors: Ashraf
authors: Waseem
authors: W
authors: Ashraf
authors: Sikandar
authors: S
authors: Azam
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Ashraf
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D020868:Gene Silencing; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents