Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant global health challenge, leading to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Direct-acting antivirals have significantly improved treatment outcomes, achieving cure rates of 90% to 95%, but challenges remain in achieving global eradication. Alternative strategies such as host-targeting agents, RNA interference therapies, and nanomedicine are emerging to address HCV’s genetic diversity and resistance barriers. Immunotherapeutic approaches, including PD-1 inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, offer promise by restoring T-cell function and neutralizing viral activity.

Efforts to develop an effective HCV vaccine face hurdles due to the virus’s high genetic variability, lack of suitable experimental models, and immune evasion strategies. Promising approaches include synthetic peptides, DNA-based vaccines, mRNA vaccines, and viral vector-based platforms, many of which have shown the ability to elicit strong CD4+/CD8+ T-cell responses and neutralizing antibodies. Recent breakthroughs, such as MVA-based vaccines and rationally designed epitopes, highlight innovative strategies to achieve lasting immunity.

Reference: Adugna A. Therapeutic strategies and promising vaccine for hepatitis C virus infection. Immun Inflamm Dis. 2023;11(8):e977. doi: 10.1002/iid3.977.