A review of the current anti-HCV therapy: Are we finally ready for interferon-free regimens.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to be a global problem but with the arrival of new drugs it is expected to move towards exile. The health care community has finally woken up to the need to tackle this infection especially because HCV-induced hepatitis in combination with HIV has turned out to be a formidable foe. So far the management of HCV has concentrated mainly on interferon-based therapies. The focus is now increasingly on drugs targeting various other components of hepatitis C, which are essential for its survival in the host like HCV non-structural (NS) 3/4A serine protease inhibitors: Boceprevir, telaprevir, simeprevir; NS5A inhibitors (daclatasvir, ledipasvir); NS5B polymerase inhibitors (sofosbuvir), cyclophilin inhibitors and many others in the pipeline like the NS4B inhibitors and the micro-RNA122 inhibitors. These new drugs have shown excellent sustained virological response (SVR) compared to the presently available drugs and their combinations. Adding to this is the new HCV vaccine which although facing various hurdles is making good inroads and expected to meet its endpoints in the near future. This review gives a brief overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, followed by the description of current regimens in the treatment of hepatitis C and the much eagerly awaited future all new oral anti-hepatitis C regimen, which can potentially eliminate the use of painful injections of interferon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]