Patent ID: 8299038

Claim:
A method for the treatment of a hepatitis C virus infection in a host, comprising contacting a cell infected with a hepatitis C virus an effective amount of a compound of the formula: or a mono-, di- or tri-phosphate thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, wherein R 1 ′, R 2 and R 3 are each independently H; phosphate or a stabilized phosphate prodrug; acyl; or other pharmaceutically acceptable leaving group which when administered in vivo is capable of providing a compound wherein R 1 ′, R 2 or R 3 is independently H or phosphate; Y is hydrogen; bromo; chloro, fluoro; iodo; OR 4 ; NR 4 R 5 or SR 4 ; X 1 and X 2 are each independently H; straight chained, branched or cyclic alkyl; CO-alkyl; CO-aryl; CO-alkoxyalkyl; chloro; bromo; fluoro; iodo; OR 4 ; NR 4 R 5 or SR 5 ; and R 4 and R 5 are independently hydrogen; acyl; or alkyl.