Interferon free therapy with direct acting antivirals for HCV

The current treatment for hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) genotype 1 chronic infection is the addition of direct‐acting antivirals ( DAA ) with a protease inhibitor (telaprevir or boceprevir) to the pegylated interferon ( PEG ‐ IFN ) plus ribavirin ( RBV ) regimen. Major progress has been made in the past few years: numerous ongoing trials with different compounds, increasing sustained virological response ( SVR ) rates with oral regimens and shortened treatment duration. Combinations of antivirals with additive potency that lack cross‐resistance and with a good safety profile may provide new regimens in the future to make HCV the first chronic viral infection to be eradicated worldwide with a finite duration of combination DAA therapy without IFN .