Aa
Better Drugs
I hear many people wondering if they shoud 'wait for better drugs.' I was just wondering, what are these better drugs, are they being tested right now clinically? Could we expect to see these in the next couple of years or so, or is this some distant future thing? How do they work?
Sorry, that should have been Albuferon only has to be dosed *half as often*. Also has slightly lighter sides.
Welll...
There's the 'small molecule' drugs - polymerase and protease inhibitors. Protease inhibitors drop the viral load fast but don't keep them down. They can be added to standard treatment - riba and IFN - but so far the most promising candidate, VX950, though giving a higher rate of response in this cocktail than plain riba/IFN in less time, also has a higher rate of side effects. Maybe, in a couple years, if the FDA decides the higher rate of side effects is worth it. Other PIs have been shown to have serious cardio side effects, so, hopefully, the testing will be thorough
Then there's Albuferon, a form of IFN that lasts longer and only has to be dosed aprox half as long. They have been trying to figure out the optimum dosing schedule for about five years now.
All this may seem unbelievably slow, but there's this whole thing about having to pay the "patent holder" of the HCV virus in order for a pharm co. to even do research.
But that's another story.
There's the 'small molecule' drugs - polymerase and protease inhibitors. Protease inhibitors drop the viral load fast but don't keep them down. They can be added to standard treatment - riba and IFN - but so far the most promising candidate, VX950, though giving a higher rate of response in this cocktail than plain riba/IFN in less time, also has a higher rate of side effects. Maybe, in a couple years, if the FDA decides the higher rate of side effects is worth it. Other PIs have been shown to have serious cardio side effects, so, hopefully, the testing will be thorough
Then there's Albuferon, a form of IFN that lasts longer and only has to be dosed aprox half as long. They have been trying to figure out the optimum dosing schedule for about five years now.
All this may seem unbelievably slow, but there's this whole thing about having to pay the "patent holder" of the HCV virus in order for a pharm co. to even do research.
But that's another story.
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