New Therapy For Hepatitis C Treatment

[Guest guest]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209052149.htm

New Therapy For Hepatitis C Treatment

ScienceDaily (Dec. 19, 2008) — Combination therapies similar to those used for

HIV patients may be the best way of treating hepatitis C virus (HCV), say

researchers from the University of Leeds.

A study of a protein called p7, has revealed that differences in the genetic

coding of the protein between virus strains - known as genotypes - alter the

sensitivity of the virus to drugs that block its function.

The p7 protein assists the spread of HCV around the body and is a promising

target for new drug treatments for the virus. Its role was discovered in 2003 by

Dr Steve with Professors Mark and Dave Rowlands of the

University’s Faculty of Biological Sciences. In laboratory tests their latest

research shows that inhibiting p7 with drugs can prevent the spread of HCV.

“One of the challenges in finding treatments for viruses is their ability to

constantly change their genetic makeup,” says Professor . “Our research

shows there can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach to treating HCV with p7

inhibitors in the future. We believe combination treatments will work much more

efficiently, as they take into account the variability of the p7 protein.”

Approximately 180 million people worldwide are infected by HCV, which causes

inflammation of the liver and can lead to liver failure or liver cancer. Spread

by contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids, there is no vaccine

against the disease which is largely asymptomatic in its early stages. The

disease is currently treated with broad spectrum, non-specific anti-viral drugs.

Dr and Prof. examined the response of HCV to a panel of compounds

including the well known anti-viral drug, rimantadine, which targets a similar

protein in the flu virus. They found that the drug’s effectiveness was altered

depending on the genetic makeup of the p7 protein.

“We ‘borrowed’ rimantadine to test its effects because p7 behaves similarly to a

protein found in the flu virus,” says Dr . “ Although rimantadine works

well in the laboratory, we now need to develop new drugs specifically targeted

against p7 that we can take forward for future therapies.”

Journal reference:

et al. Genotype-dependent sensitivity of hepatitis C virus to inhibitors

of the p7 ion channel. Hepatology, 2008; 48 (6): 1779 DOI: 10.1002/hep.22555

[Guest guest]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209052149.htm

New Therapy For Hepatitis C Treatment

ScienceDaily (Dec. 19, 2008) — Combination therapies similar to those used for

HIV patients may be the best way of treating hepatitis C virus (HCV), say

researchers from the University of Leeds.

A study of a protein called p7, has revealed that differences in the genetic

coding of the protein between virus strains - known as genotypes - alter the

sensitivity of the virus to drugs that block its function.

The p7 protein assists the spread of HCV around the body and is a promising

target for new drug treatments for the virus. Its role was discovered in 2003 by

Dr Steve with Professors Mark and Dave Rowlands of the

University’s Faculty of Biological Sciences. In laboratory tests their latest

research shows that inhibiting p7 with drugs can prevent the spread of HCV.

“One of the challenges in finding treatments for viruses is their ability to

constantly change their genetic makeup,” says Professor . “Our research

shows there can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach to treating HCV with p7

inhibitors in the future. We believe combination treatments will work much more

efficiently, as they take into account the variability of the p7 protein.”

Approximately 180 million people worldwide are infected by HCV, which causes

inflammation of the liver and can lead to liver failure or liver cancer. Spread

by contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids, there is no vaccine

against the disease which is largely asymptomatic in its early stages. The

disease is currently treated with broad spectrum, non-specific anti-viral drugs.

Dr and Prof. examined the response of HCV to a panel of compounds

including the well known anti-viral drug, rimantadine, which targets a similar

protein in the flu virus. They found that the drug’s effectiveness was altered

depending on the genetic makeup of the p7 protein.

“We ‘borrowed’ rimantadine to test its effects because p7 behaves similarly to a

protein found in the flu virus,” says Dr . “ Although rimantadine works

well in the laboratory, we now need to develop new drugs specifically targeted

against p7 that we can take forward for future therapies.”

Journal reference:

et al. Genotype-dependent sensitivity of hepatitis C virus to inhibitors

of the p7 ion channel. Hepatology, 2008; 48 (6): 1779 DOI: 10.1002/hep.22555

[Guest guest]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209052149.htm

New Therapy For Hepatitis C Treatment

ScienceDaily (Dec. 19, 2008) — Combination therapies similar to those used for

HIV patients may be the best way of treating hepatitis C virus (HCV), say

researchers from the University of Leeds.

A study of a protein called p7, has revealed that differences in the genetic

coding of the protein between virus strains - known as genotypes - alter the

sensitivity of the virus to drugs that block its function.

The p7 protein assists the spread of HCV around the body and is a promising

target for new drug treatments for the virus. Its role was discovered in 2003 by

Dr Steve with Professors Mark and Dave Rowlands of the

University’s Faculty of Biological Sciences. In laboratory tests their latest

research shows that inhibiting p7 with drugs can prevent the spread of HCV.

“One of the challenges in finding treatments for viruses is their ability to

constantly change their genetic makeup,” says Professor . “Our research

shows there can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach to treating HCV with p7

inhibitors in the future. We believe combination treatments will work much more

efficiently, as they take into account the variability of the p7 protein.”

Approximately 180 million people worldwide are infected by HCV, which causes

inflammation of the liver and can lead to liver failure or liver cancer. Spread

by contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids, there is no vaccine

against the disease which is largely asymptomatic in its early stages. The

disease is currently treated with broad spectrum, non-specific anti-viral drugs.

Dr and Prof. examined the response of HCV to a panel of compounds

including the well known anti-viral drug, rimantadine, which targets a similar

protein in the flu virus. They found that the drug’s effectiveness was altered

depending on the genetic makeup of the p7 protein.

“We ‘borrowed’ rimantadine to test its effects because p7 behaves similarly to a

protein found in the flu virus,” says Dr . “ Although rimantadine works

well in the laboratory, we now need to develop new drugs specifically targeted

against p7 that we can take forward for future therapies.”

Journal reference:

et al. Genotype-dependent sensitivity of hepatitis C virus to inhibitors

of the p7 ion channel. Hepatology, 2008; 48 (6): 1779 DOI: 10.1002/hep.22555

[Guest guest]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209052149.htm

New Therapy For Hepatitis C Treatment

ScienceDaily (Dec. 19, 2008) — Combination therapies similar to those used for

HIV patients may be the best way of treating hepatitis C virus (HCV), say

researchers from the University of Leeds.

A study of a protein called p7, has revealed that differences in the genetic

coding of the protein between virus strains - known as genotypes - alter the

sensitivity of the virus to drugs that block its function.

The p7 protein assists the spread of HCV around the body and is a promising

target for new drug treatments for the virus. Its role was discovered in 2003 by

Dr Steve with Professors Mark and Dave Rowlands of the

University’s Faculty of Biological Sciences. In laboratory tests their latest

research shows that inhibiting p7 with drugs can prevent the spread of HCV.

“One of the challenges in finding treatments for viruses is their ability to

constantly change their genetic makeup,” says Professor . “Our research

shows there can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach to treating HCV with p7

inhibitors in the future. We believe combination treatments will work much more

efficiently, as they take into account the variability of the p7 protein.”

Approximately 180 million people worldwide are infected by HCV, which causes

inflammation of the liver and can lead to liver failure or liver cancer. Spread

by contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids, there is no vaccine

against the disease which is largely asymptomatic in its early stages. The

disease is currently treated with broad spectrum, non-specific anti-viral drugs.

Dr and Prof. examined the response of HCV to a panel of compounds

including the well known anti-viral drug, rimantadine, which targets a similar

protein in the flu virus. They found that the drug’s effectiveness was altered

depending on the genetic makeup of the p7 protein.

“We ‘borrowed’ rimantadine to test its effects because p7 behaves similarly to a

protein found in the flu virus,” says Dr . “ Although rimantadine works

well in the laboratory, we now need to develop new drugs specifically targeted

against p7 that we can take forward for future therapies.”

Journal reference:

et al. Genotype-dependent sensitivity of hepatitis C virus to inhibitors

of the p7 ion channel. Hepatology, 2008; 48 (6): 1779 DOI: 10.1002/hep.22555