Nanomedicines in the treatment of patients with hepatitis C co-infected with HIV--focus on pegylated interferon-alpha

• Published in: International journal of nanomedicine Vol. 1; no. 4; pp. 399 - 409
• Main Authors: Zoller, Heinz, Vogel, Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Taylor & Francis Ltd 01.01.2006; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Antiretroviral drugs; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Genotype & phenotype; Hepatitis; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C - complications; Hepatitis C - drug therapy; Hepatitis C virus; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - drug therapy; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Interferon; Interferon-alpha - chemistry; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Liver cirrhosis; Nanomedicine - methods; Nanomedicine - trends; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Review; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1176-9114; 1178-2013
• DOI: 10.2147/nano.2006.1.4.399

In immuno-competent individuals, the natural course of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly variable and 5%-30% of patients develop cirrhosis over 20 years. Co-infection with HCV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an important prognostic factor and associated with more frequent and accelerated progression to cirrhosis. Until recently HIV/AIDS-related complications were life limiting in patients co-infected with HCV; the introduction of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) and the better prognosis of HIV infection has made HCV-related complications an emerging health problem in HCV/HIV coinfected individuals. Treatment of chronic HCV infection has also evolved since the introduction of interferon-alpha. Recently, introduction of pegylated interferon-alpha (peginterferon-alpha) has resulted in an increase in sustained virus clearance rates of up to 80% in selected genotypes and patient populations. The safety and efficacy of modern anti HCV treatment regimens - based on peginterferon-alpha in combination with ribavirin - was evaluated in 4 controlled trials. Sustained clearance of hepatitis C virus can be achieved in up to 35% of patients with HIV/HCV co-infection, and novel HCV treatment regimens based on peginterferon-alpha have no negative effect on the control of HIV disease. In conclusion, if HIV infection is well controlled and CD4+ cell counts >100/mm3, treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon in combination with ribavirin is safe and should be given for 48 weeks regardless of the HCV genotype. Introduction of peginterferon-alpha has significantly improved adherence to treatment and treatment efficacy; in particular sustained virologic response in patients with HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection improved, but sustained viral clearance in only 7%-38% of patients infected with genotype I and 4 cannot be the final step in development of effective treatments in patients with HCV/HIV co-infection.