Clinically Approved Ion Channel Inhibitors Close Gates for Hepatitis C Virus and Open Doors for Drug Repurposing in Infectious Viral Diseases.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes severe liver disease and affects ca. 146 million individuals. Novel directly acting antivirals targeting HCV have revolutionized treatment. However, high costs limit access to therapy. Recently, several related drugs used in humans to treat allergies or as neuroleptics emerged as potent HCV cell entry inhibitors. Insights into their antiviral modes of action may increase opportunities for drug repurposing in hepatitis C and possibly other important human viral infections.
Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany, and German Centre for Infection Research, Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany thomas.pietschmann@twincore.de.
Thomas
T
Pietschmann
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058492:Drug Repositioning; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D007473:Ion Channels
cell entry; drug repurposing; fusion inhibitor; hepatitis C virus; infectious disease; ion channel inhibitors; membrane fusion