"Too little, too late?" Will inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus p7 ion channel ever be used in the clinic?

摘要: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) p7 is a virus-coded ion channel, or 'viroporin'. an essential HCV protein, promoting infectious virion production, and this process can be blocked by prototypic inhibitors. However, prototype potency weak effects in clinical trials are unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, recent structural studies render amenable to modern drug discovery, with supporting that effective drug-like molecules should achievable. burgeoning therapies clear infection the majority of treated patients. This perspective summarizes current understanding channel function structure, pertaining development improved We ask, 'is too little, late', could inhibitors play role long-term management disease?