These drugs should be available later this year. Most research with them has been done to date in individuals infected with HCV alone. Schering has released little data on their drug yet. This is the highest rate shown in any HCV study to date. This looks promising for co-infected individuals as well.
Investigations are underway with a variety of other drugs.
Ribozymes are natural enzymes that can be synthesized to selectively inhibit disease-causing proteins by interfering with RNA production. The goals of HCV treatment are now changing as well. Even if treatments that use interferon do not achieve complete viral suppression or eradication, such treatment should not be labeled a failure as these treatments often slow and sometimes reverse the development of fibrosis. The liver is an amazing organ with the ability to regenerate itself unlike other organs of the body. It is important for co-infected individuals to have doctors with expertise in each disease and urge them to talk to each other to coordinate their medical care.