Emerging therapies in pipeline for chronic hepatitis C

Hepatitis C infection represents a major global public health problem; as it leads to significant morbidity, mortality, and financial burden on healthcare system. According to world health organization, nearly 2- 3% (130-170 million) of the world’s population has been infected with hepatitis C. The current standard therapy is limited both in efficacy and tolerability which highlights the large unmet medical need in this area. Recent advances in the understanding of lifecycle of hepatitis C virus and host cell interactions have led to the identification of multiple novel antiviral targets. Intense research effort is currently being directed towards translating these targets into developing more efficacious and safe treatment options for patients living with HCV infection. Current review aims to discuss the emerging therapies in pipeline for chronic hepatitis C outlining their mode of action and current stage of development in clinical trials. [Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2013; 2(5.000): 500-506]