Hepatitis C virus: prospects for future therapies

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health crisis worldwide. Current treatment requires combination therapy with interferon-alpha and ribavirin. The low efficacy and poor tolerability of this therapeutic regimen has driven the search for safer and more effective medicines. This search has led to intense research efforts which have enhanced our understanding of HCV biology and to the development of a number of strategies for identifying new antiviral agents. At the same time, efforts have been directed towards improving the efficacy and tolerability of existing therapies. Recent developments in the area of modified interferons and research on virus-encoded and host drug discovery targets are reviewed here. Advances in the field of improved interferon-based treatments and the use of new antiviral agents in clinical trials gives cause for optimism in the clinical management of HCV infections.