Advances in and the future of treatments for hepatitis C.
Enormous progress has been made in the understanding of the hepatitis C virus and the development of novel therapeutic agents since the identification of the virus 25 years ago. From initial interferon monotherapy providing only 6% viral clearance rate in the 1980s, pharmacotherapeutics has now entered an exciting new era with direct-acting antiviral agents demonstrating viral clearance rates of more than 70%. We are now at the beginning of an era where combinations of direct-acting antiviral agents may pave the way for interferon-free regimens, even improving the viral clearance rate to near 100%.
Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Robert
R
Cheng
Thomas
T
Tu
Nicholas
N
Shackel
Geoffrey W
GW
McCaughan
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D015195:Drug Design; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents
boceprevir; daclatasvir; danoprevir; deleobuvir; direct-acting antiviral therapy; faldaprevir; hepatitis C; protease inhibitors; simeprevir; sofosbuvir; telaprevir