title: Faldaprevir for the treatment of hepatitis C.
abstract: 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, from initial interferon monotherapy to PEGylated interferon in combination with ribavirin for 48-72 weeks that used to be the standard of care in hepatitis C virus therapy. However, this combination has limited efficacy and a significant side effect profile including flu-like symptoms, anemia, leukopenia, autoimmune disorders and depression, so it is often poorly tolerated. Recently, direct-acting antiviral agents, such as the first-generation NS3/4A protease inhibitors, have been added to this combination, improving the percentage of successful treatments. Faldaprevir is a first-generation, second wave, protease inhibitor that, when combined with PEGylated interferon and ribavirin, has been shown to increase treatment success with shorter treatment duration. Various direct-acting antiviral agent combinations in interferon-free regimens have been effective in over 95% of patients and are now in licensed use.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal and Emergency Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. davide.campagna@unict.it.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.affiliation: Hepatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demma
mesh_terms: D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D055808:Drug Discovery; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011392:Proline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011804:Quinolines; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007930:Leucine; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011392:Proline; D011804:Quinolines; D013844:Thiazoles; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; C552340:faldaprevir
keywords: BI-201335; Faldaprevir; HCV NS3 NS4A protease inhibitors; PEGylated interferon; Ribavirin