HCV direct-acting antiviral agents: the best interferon-free combinations

For HCV infection, there have been major advancements during last several years with large numbers of ongoing trials with various direct-acting antivirals (DAA) showing high potency, favourable tolerability profile, higher barrier to resistance, shortened treatment duration, all oral regimen, pan-genotypic, fewer drug interactions and reduced pill burden. By 2014, several DAAs are anticipated to complete successful phase III trials and will be commercially available. Initially, a wave of IFN-based regimen (sofosbuvir, faldaprevir and simeprevir) will be available for treatment of HCV genotype 1. In the near future, combination of antiviral agents with additive potency that lack cross-resistance with good safety profile will likely be the new recommended regimens, making HCV, the first chronic viral infection to be eradicated worldwide with a finite duration of combination DAA therapy without IFN or ribavirin. The aim of this review was to summarize the results obtained from recent DAA combination studies without IFN.