Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026
05:46
Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors
Published on: April 9, 2014
Second-wave protease inhibitors: choosing an heir.
Sandra Ciesek1, Thomas von Hahn, Michael P Manns
1Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Clinics in Liver Disease
|August 27, 2011
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic liver disease. New direct-acting antiviral drugs offer improved treatment options beyond current interferon therapies.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a primary cause of chronic liver disease and liver transplantation globally.
- Current standard treatments combining pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin have limited efficacy (just over 50%) and significant side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of emerging antiviral compounds for Hepatitis C treatment.
- To discuss the limitations of currently available direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recently approved and investigational Hepatitis C therapies.
- Analysis of the development pipeline for second-wave protease inhibitors (PIs).
Main Results:
- First-generation DAAs have entered the market but possess limitations.
- Second-wave PIs are under development and expected to address existing shortcomings.
Conclusions:
- New antiviral therapies are rapidly evolving, offering hope for more effective Hepatitis C treatment.
- Upcoming PIs are anticipated to improve upon the efficacy and tolerability of current treatments.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly
As part of their replication cycle, certain viruses synthesize long precursor proteins called polyproteins within infected host cells. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), two major polyproteins are produced: Gag and Gag-Pol. The Gag polyprotein supplies the structural components of the virus, while Gag-Pol includes essential viral enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. After synthesis, these polyproteins move to the host cell membrane, where they assemble into an...
01:30Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
01:22Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors
Antiviral Nucleoside InhibitorsAntiviral nucleoside inhibitors are structural analogs of natural nucleosides that interfere with viral DNA or RNA synthesis. These compounds selectively target viral polymerases due to their resemblance to host nucleosides, thereby disrupting viral genome replication.Mechanism of Acyclovir ActionAcyclovir is a guanosine analog with a three-carbon acyclic side chain. It selectively targets herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2),...
01:20Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Antiplatelet drugs emerge as frontline defenders against the insidious threat of thromboembolic diseases, where abnormal clots obstruct vital blood vessels. These drugs stand as bulwarks, inhibiting platelet aggregation and clot formation, thereby mitigating the risk of life-threatening conditions like myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and thrombotic strokes.
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
01:23Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) is a serine protease widely distributed in the body. It's involved in the inactivation of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, which are crucial for insulin regulation. DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta), alogliptin (Nesina), and vildagliptin (Galvus), help increase the proportion of active GLP-1, enhancing insulin secretion. These inhibitors work by competitively binding to DPP-4. This binding causes a significant...