HEP DART 2003: Frontiers in Drug Development for Viral Hepatitis

The biannual HEP DART conference in Hawaii provided an intimate setting for members of the viral hepatitis community to exchange ideas and information. The leaders in clinical research and drug development gathered with scientists to discuss the recent advances in a field dedicated to understanding and treating hepatitis. The topics ranged from the basic science of pathogenesis and therapeutic models, to the next generation of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus inhibitors, to the important therapeutic information gleaned from the latest clinical trials. The therapeutic considerations for special populations, such as those co-infected with HIV, those with decompensated liver diseases or difficult-to-treat genotypes, as well as those patients who have failed treatment, emerged as critical clinical topics under discussion.