Update on specifically targeted antiviral therapy for hepatitis C infection: Progress and pitfalls on the road to viral eradication

The global prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection exceeds that of HIV but only has a 40% response rate to the currently available standard of care. In contrast to HIV infection, eradication of HCV is possible, with cure rather than viral suppression the goal of treatment. Specifically targeted antiviral therapy against hepatitis C (STAT-C) hopes to improve this low rate of response using small molecules designed to inhibit key viral processes. Protease and polymerase inhibitors are the most studied of the STAT-C small molecules with protease inhibitors being the closest to commercial availability. The most promising of these new approaches to therapy rely on a persistent need for pegylated interferon and ribavirin and may be limited by the development of viral resistance.