Antiviral therapies for many serious, life-threatening chronic and acute viral diseases are lacking or are unsatisfactory. Our Laval centre focuses on the discovery and development of new antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV). These two devastating pathogens have each emerged epidemically in recent decades, affecting millions globally.
Our HCV research is directed toward identifying inhibitors
targeting essential viral enzymes, such as the HCV serine
protease and RNA polymerase. Such new mechanisms offer the potential for new therapies with improved safety and efficacy compared to current treatments of chronic hepatitis C. Our clinical studies with an HCV
serine protease inhibitor provided the first proof of clinical concept for this class of antiviral agent and we continue to make efforts to exploit this antiviral target together with other novel approaches. |
|
|
