Patent ID: 8563529

Claim:
A method for inhibiting Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection comprising the following steps: (i) administering to one or more target cells of an individual infected with HCV at least one DNA polynucleotide comprising a first DNA sequence encoding a sense RNA sequence and a second DNA sequence encoding an antisense RNA sequence, wherein the sense and antisense RNA sequences form a small interfering RNA (siRNA), wherein the sense and antisense sequences are each 19 to 29 nucleotides in length, wherein the sense RNA sequence is at least 70% homologous to at least 19 contiguous nucleotides between nucleotides 155 and 183 of human cyclophilin A sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1), wherein the antisense RNA sequence is complementary to the sense RNA sequence, and (ii) monitoring the level of HCV infection.