Recent approaches in clinical trials of hepatitis C virus vaccine, challenges and future directions

Abstract

Globally HCV infects more than 170 million individuals and is a major risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis and transplantation. Recent antiviral therapy has significant side effects and is much expensive. During the early infection with HCV, the asymptomatic characteristics have a remarkable impact which results in unknowingly spreading HCV. Recently there is no effective vaccine available. Data indicate that a considerable proportion of individuals naturally manages HCV infection through immune feedback mechanisms, suggesting that developing an effective vaccine against HCV presents a reasonable challenge. Therefore, to control this deadly virus a prophylactic vaccine is compulsory. Different types of methods are adapted to design an effective HCV vaccine which are under different human clinical trials. The current review discusses the goals of the HCV vaccine, traditional vaccine methods, vaccine approaches and challenges in the development of vaccine design.