Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has deceived researchers for seventeen years now and although the current therapy regimen has been optimized by the development of pegylated interferon-α and the addition of ribavirin, no new agent to treat HCV infected patients has yet reached the market. A new era is approaching the HCV research due to new developments for the propagation of the virus in a cell-based system, which may lead to new drug innovations. Efforts in the search of new treatments for HCV infected patients are either focused on direct antiviral drugs, targeting the structural components or enzymes encoded by the virus, or indirect antiviral drugs, targeting host cell components (immunomodulators etc.). An inspection of the drug pipeline for HCV reveals representatives from both classes and of different mechanisms of action. Among the direct acting antiviral agents, inhibitors of the NS3 protease, the NS5B polymerase, and the viral RNA are the most intensively explored. However, there is also on-going and promising preclinical research, in different stages, on other potential targets as the structural protein E2 (for cell-entry inhibitors), the NS3 helicase, the p7 ion-channel, and the multifunctional NS5A protein. The combat of HCV will certainly require a combination of drugs of different mechanisms in order to reduce the emergence of resistance. The latest developments in the discovery of agents to treat HCV are reviewed, with special focus on direct small-molecule antiviral drugs, from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
Keywords: HCV, Hepatitis C, inhibitors, antiviral drugs, antiviral targets, NS3 protease, NS3 helicase, NS5B polymerase
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
Title: New Developments in the Discovery of Agents to Treat Hepatitis C
Volume: 8 Issue: 7
Author(s): Robert Ronn and Anja Sandstrom
Affiliation:
Keywords: HCV, Hepatitis C, inhibitors, antiviral drugs, antiviral targets, NS3 protease, NS3 helicase, NS5B polymerase
Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has deceived researchers for seventeen years now and although the current therapy regimen has been optimized by the development of pegylated interferon-α and the addition of ribavirin, no new agent to treat HCV infected patients has yet reached the market. A new era is approaching the HCV research due to new developments for the propagation of the virus in a cell-based system, which may lead to new drug innovations. Efforts in the search of new treatments for HCV infected patients are either focused on direct antiviral drugs, targeting the structural components or enzymes encoded by the virus, or indirect antiviral drugs, targeting host cell components (immunomodulators etc.). An inspection of the drug pipeline for HCV reveals representatives from both classes and of different mechanisms of action. Among the direct acting antiviral agents, inhibitors of the NS3 protease, the NS5B polymerase, and the viral RNA are the most intensively explored. However, there is also on-going and promising preclinical research, in different stages, on other potential targets as the structural protein E2 (for cell-entry inhibitors), the NS3 helicase, the p7 ion-channel, and the multifunctional NS5A protein. The combat of HCV will certainly require a combination of drugs of different mechanisms in order to reduce the emergence of resistance. The latest developments in the discovery of agents to treat HCV are reviewed, with special focus on direct small-molecule antiviral drugs, from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Ronn Robert and Sandstrom Anja, New Developments in the Discovery of Agents to Treat Hepatitis C, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2008; 8 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156802608783955647
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156802608783955647 |
Print ISSN 1568-0266 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4294 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Chemistry Based on Natural Products for Therapeutic Purposes
The development of new pharmaceuticals for a wide range of medical conditions has long relied on the identification of promising natural products (NPs). There are over sixty percent of cancer, infectious illness, and CNS disease medications that include an NP pharmacophore, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Since NP ...read more
Current Trends in Drug Discovery Based on Artificial Intelligence and Computer-Aided Drug Design
Drug development discovery has faced several challenges over the years. In fact, the evolution of classical approaches to modern methods using computational methods, or Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD), has shown promising and essential results in any drug discovery campaign. Among these methods, molecular docking is one of the most notable ...read more
Drug Discovery in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), we have witnessed a significant boom in AI techniques for drug discovery. AI techniques are increasingly integrated and accelerating the drug discovery process. These developments have not only attracted the attention of academia and industry but also raised important questions regarding the selection ...read more
From Biodiversity to Chemical Diversity: Focus of Flavonoids
Flavonoids are the largest group of polyphenols, plant secondary metabolites arising from the essential aromatic amino acid phenylalanine (or more rarely from tyrosine) via the phenylpropanoid pathway. The flavan nucleus is the basic 15-carbon skeleton of flavonoids (C6-C3-C6), which consists of two phenyl rings (A and B) and a heterocyclic ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Marine Derived Anticancer Drugs Targeting Microtubule
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Chronic Kidney Disease - Different Role for HDL?
Current Medicinal Chemistry Effects of Resveratrol and other Polyphenols on Sirt1: Relevance to Brain Function During Aging
Current Neuropharmacology Mathematical and Computational Techniques for Drug Discovery: Promises and Developments
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Markers of Atherosclerotic Disease: What do they Mean? Current Opinion and Future Trends
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Impact of Probiotic on Gut Health
Current Drug Metabolism mGlu5, Dopamine D<sub>2</sub> and Adenosine A<sub>2A</sub> Receptors in L-DOPA-induced Dyskinesias
Current Neuropharmacology Antiviral Effects of Asian Natural Products Targeting SARS, MERS, and COVID-19
Coronaviruses Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitors as Broad Spectrum Anti-Infectives
Current Pharmaceutical Design Effects of Transition Metals in the Conversion Mechanism of Prion Protein and in the Pathogenesis of Prion Diseases
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents Oral Contraceptives and Autoimmune Diseases
Current Women`s Health Reviews Novel Therapeutic Potential of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activated Protein Kinase 2 (MK2) in Chronic Airway Inflammatory Disorders
Current Drug Targets Shape Complementarity in Serine Protease-inhibitor Complexes Correlate to Inhibition Constants
Current Enzyme Inhibition Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Antagonist and Antiangiogenic Activity of Long-Pentraxin 3-Derived Synthetic Peptides
Current Pharmaceutical Design Closed-loop Neuropharmacology for Epilepsy: Distant Dream or Future Reality?
Current Neuropharmacology Inflammatory Diseases - New Compounds and Treatments
Current Organic Chemistry Humanized Cobra Venom Factor: Experimental Therapeutics for Targeted Complement Activation and Complement Depletion
Current Pharmaceutical Design Dietary Potassium in Cardiovascular Prevention: Nutritional and Clinical Implications
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents Does Dysbiosis Increase the Risk of Developing Schizophrenia? - A Comprehensive Narrative Review
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry