title: Sofosbuvir for treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: Chronic hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. If untreated, chronic hepatitis C can progress to advanced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Until recently, treatment of hepatitis C predominantly constituted an immunomodulatory agent, peg-interferon-alfa and ribavirin. In 2011, the first class of directly acting antiviral agents, HCV NS3/4A serine protease inhibitors, was added to peg-interferon-alfa and ribavirin with increased efficacy. In the past year, an NS5B inhibitor, sofosbuvir, has emerged as a potent agent with pangenotypic efficacy, resulting in the first interferon-free regimen for the treatment of hepatitis C. This review summarizes the data that resulted in regulatory approval of sofosbuvir and highlights the future of hepatitis C therapy with sofosbuvir as the backbone of a highly effective antiviral regimen.
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Kattakuzhy
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Levy
authors: Shyam
authors: S
authors: Kottilil
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000069474:Sofosbuvir / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069474:Sofosbuvir