[Hepatitis C infection: Therapeutic strategies]

Abstract

The development of new direct acting antivirals has significantly modified strategies to treat chronic hepatitis C. Treatments were previously made of an interferon-based combination. This article aims to review the direct acting antivirals clinical data and to discuss the new regimens for the management of chronic hepatitis C. Direct acting antivirals combinations - with or without ribavirin - are the new chronic hepatitis C standard treatment regimen. These combinations often result in sustained viral response rate (>90%, including in patients with uncomplicated cirrhosis) after a 12-week treatment for most patients. The innovation could represent a new era for patients with unmet medical need (especially ineligible or non-responders to interferon and/or ribavirin patients). Further investigations are required to confirm the efficacy in specific population (complicated cirrhosis, pre- or post-transplantation, chronic renal failure, comorbidities, etc.) where clinical data are still limited. Other treatments are currently being developed and might lead to new perspectives, especially in terms of treatment duration or therapeutic simplification.