New promising treatment against hepatitis-C

U.S. researchers have discovered a new substance that blocks the replication of hepatitis C, potentially paving the way for more effective treatments against this infection, the leading cause of liver cancer, according to a study published Wednesday.

These experiments, conducted only in vitro, have found a protein essential for the virus of hepatitis C or HCV to multiply.

The authors of these works were then able to develop a synthetic version of the modified protein that blocked the replication of HCV.

They were able to find components of this modified protein which can prevent the aggregation or replication of HCV, said Dr. Jeffrey Glenn, professor of gastroenterology at the Faculty of Medicine, Stanford University (California), principal author of this work published in the online version of the magazine Transnational Medicine.

Since these substances act by blocking a single mechanism that the virus needs, they may be slightly toxic to humans.

Dr. Glenn thinks it will take 12 to 18 months of pre-clinical tests on animals before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives green light for clinical trials in humans.

"The Hepatitis C is a huge problem" of public health, said Dr. Glenn, adding that over 150 million people are infected worldwide, many of whom are not aware of their infection.

Hepatitis C infection is the leading cause of liver cancer and organ transplantation in the United States. It also often develops in cirrhosis.

In the United States and Europe, 4% of the adult population suffers from chronic infection.

The FDA has approved to date only two treatments against hepatitis C, interferon, a protein that boosts immune system and ribavirin, an anti-viral and anti-cancer drug.

Unfortunately these drugs are very toxic and must be administered for 48 weeks. In addition, they are effective in less than half of cases.

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