title: Therapy of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the era of direct-acting and host-targeting antiviral agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a leading worldwide medical and social problem. The expanding knowledge of HCV lifecycle has led to the development of novel antiviral agents that: a) specifically target a viral function (direct-acting antivirals), or b) specifically inhibit viral replication. The present review describes the novel anti-HCV drugs that have been better studied at the time of this writing and the current two types of treatment, namely interferon-based and interferon-free regimens. In addition, predictive factors, virological responses, side-effects, and resistance mechanisms of the novel agents are summarized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The introduction of novel antiviral agents is remarkably changing the therapeutic combinations aimed at improving virological responses both for easy-to-cure and difficult-to-treat patients. Since additional, effective drugs are under advanced development, it seems reasonable to expect that further therapeutic and prognostic improvements will be achieved in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Conteduca
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sansonno
authors.forename: Sabino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Russi
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dammacco
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011480:Protease Inhibitors
keywords: BOC; CHC; CV; Chronic hepatitis C; DAA; DVR; Direct-acting antivirals; EVR; HCV; HTAs; Host-targeting antivirals; IFN-α; IL28B; ISGs; Interferon; NIs; NNIs; PI; Protease inhibitors; RBV; RGR; RVR; Ribavirin; SNP; SVR; SoC; TPV; boceprevir; chronic hepatitis C; cryoglobulinemic vasculitis; delayed virological response; direct-acting antiviral; eRVR; early virological response; extended rapid virological response; genotype; genotypes; gt; gts; hepatitis C virus; host-targeting antivirals; interferon-alpha; interferon-stimulated genes; interleukin 28B; non-nucleoside inhibitors; nucleoside analog inhibitors; pIFN; pegylated interferon; protease inhibitor; rapid virological response; response-guided regimens; ribavirin; single nucleotide polymorphism; standard of care; sustained virological response; telaprevir