PROSPECTIVES ON THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B AND CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C WITH THYMIC PEPTIDES AND ANTIVIRAL AGENTS

At the present time, interferon is considered the only effective thera peutic approach in the treatment of both chronic hepatitis B and chron ic hepatitis C. It is clear that the disappointing response rates in b oth chronic hepatitis B and C place added emphasis on efforts to ident ify alternative forms of therapy. In addition to the development of ot her antiviral agents including the nucleoside analogs which might prov e more effective and have fewer associated side-effects, other agents currently under investigation include thymic peptides such as thymosin alpha 1. In the future, the therapeutic approach to the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C may consist of combination therapy using per haps an immune modulator and an antiviral agent or, several antiviral drugs. Alternatively, there is indication that cellular targeting syst ems with delivery of the toxic material to the specific cell containin g the virus may be more effective, while minimizing side-effects. Fina lly, there are agents such as ursodeoxycholic acid which perhaps, make s bile less toxic and can be used as adjuntive therapy with improvemen t in liver chemistry values. The treatment of chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C has shifted in emphasis form the concept of treati ng liver disease towards that of treating viral infections which happe n to effect primarily the liver.