Recent progress in NS3/4A protease inhibitors against hepatitis C virus

Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin(RBV) are regarded as the standardized treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) which is caused by HCV infection.In recent years,with the development of protease inhibitors (PIs),triple therapy has shown good antiviral ability,and brings hope for patients who cannot tolerate or accommodate to IFN therapy.Based on the importance of NS3/4A protease in virus maturation and replication processes,and the wide prospect of protease inhibitors,the structural characteristics of HCV NS3/4A protease and its inhibitors are reviewed in this article. Key words: Hepacivirus;  Protease inhibitors;  Direct acting antiviral agents;  Resistance