Sofosbuvir in the Treatment of Hepatitis E virus Infection: A Review of in vitro and in vivo Evidence

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection, which occurs almost exclusively in immunocompromised patients, if untreated may progress to cirrhosis and possibly hepatocellular carcinoma. The reduction of immunosuppression and/or administration of ribavirin is frequently curative but there remain many immunocompromised individuals whose HEV infection is refractory to these therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the haematological toxicity of ribavirin limits its use. Pegylated interferon has demonstrated success in a small number of patients with chronic HEV infection; however, the potentially increased risk of graft rejection associated with its use renders it unsuitable for many transplant recipients. Alternative therapeutic strategies are therefore required. This article reviews the in vitro and in vivo literature to date of the antiviral agent sofosbuvir (well established in the treatment of hepatitis C) in the treatment of HEV infection.

Keywords: Alanine aminotransferase, ALT; HEV; Half maximal effective concentration, EC50; Hepatitis B virus, HBV; Hepatitis C virus, HCV; Hepatitis E virus, HEV; Human immunodeficiency virus, HIV; Interferon-α, IFN-α; Ribonucleic acid, RNA; chronic hepatitis E; hepatitis E; sofosbuvir.

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