Novel approaches to the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has infected millions of people worldwide and emerg ed as a global health crisis. This review reports approaches currently bein g taken to combat the virus. Viral targets have received the most attention , particularly the NS3 serine protease where potent inhibitors have been de scribed. Crystal structures of key replicative enzymes, NS3 protease, NS3 h elicase, NS5B polymerase and now full-length NS3 protease-helicase, are ava ilable. More recently, targeting the host system has become of interest, pa rticularly inhibitors of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase. Research aime d at novel treatments for HCV disease is gathering pace and very recent dev elopments in cell-based assay systems can only hasten the discovery of impr oved therapies.