Gastroenterology
Volume 136, Issue 3 , Pages 760-763 , March 2009

Nitazoxanide: Beyond Parasites Toward a Novel Agent for Hepatitis C

  • Jama M. Darling

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests Address requests for reprints to: Jama M. Darling, MD, University of North Carolina, CB# 7584, Room 8015 Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7584
    • ,
  • Michael W. Fried

References 

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  2. Rossignol JF, Keeffe EB. Thiazolides: a new class of drugs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C. Future Microbiol. 2008;3:539–545
  3. Kamal SM, Nasser IA. Hepatitis C genotype 4: what we know and what we don't yet know. Hepatology. 2008;47:1371–1383
  4. Rossignol JF, Kabil SM, El-Gohary Y, et al. Clinical trial: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of nitazoxanide monotherapy for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 4. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2008;28:574–580
  5. Rossignol JF, Elfert A, El-Gohary Y, et al. Improved virologic response in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4 patients given nitazoxanide, peginterferon, and ribavirin. Gastroenterology. 2009;136:856–862
  6. Korba BE, Elazar M, Lui P, et al. Potential for hepatitis C virus resistance to nitazoxanide or tizoxanide. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2008;52:4069–4071
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  8. Elazar MLM, McKenna S, et al. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is an inducer of eIF2a and PKR phosphorylation. Hepatology. 2008;48:1151A
  9. Garcia MA, Gil J, Ventoso I, et al. Impact of protein kinase PKR in cell biology: from antiviral to antiproliferative action. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2006;70:1032–1060
  10. Gale MJ, Korth MJ, Tang NM, et al. Evidence that hepatitis C virus resistance to interferon is mediated through repression of the PKR protein kinase by the nonstructural 5A protein. Virology. 1997;230:217–227
  11. Taylor DR, Shi ST, Romano PR, et al. Inhibition of the interferon-inducible protein kinase PKR by HCV E2 protein. Science. 1999;285:107–110
  12. Fried MW, Shiffman M, et al. Rapid virological response is a more important predictor of sustained virological response (SVR) than genotype in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. J Hepatol. 2008;48:55
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  15. Conjeevaram HS, Fried MW, Jeffers LJ, et al. Peginterferon and ribavirin treatment in African American and Caucasian American patients with hepatitis C genotype 1. Gastroenterology. 2006;131:470–477
  16. Rosen HR, Weston SJ, Im K, et al. Selective decrease in hepatitis C virus-specific immunity among African Americans and outcome of antiviral therapy. Hepatology. 2007;46:350–358
  17. Fried MW, Shiffman ML, Reddy KR, et al. Peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:975–982
  18. Manns MP, McHutchison JG, Gordon SC, et al. Peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin compared with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a randomised trial. Lancet. 2001;358:958–965
  19. Chung RT, Andersen J, Volberding P, et al. Peginterferon Alfa-2a plus ribavirin versus interferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected persons. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:451–459
  20. Carrat F, Bani-Sadr F, Pol S, et al. Pegylated interferon alfa-2b vs standard interferon alfa-2b, plus ribavirin, for chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004;292:2839–2848
  21. Torriani FJ, Rodriguez-Torres M, Rockstroh JK, et al. Peginterferon Alfa-2a plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection in HIV-infected patients. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:438–450
  22. Rossignol JF EA, Keeffe EB. Evaluation of a 4 week lead-in phase with nitazoxanide (NTZ) prior to peginterferon (PegIFN) plus NTZ for treatment of chronic hepatitis C: final report. Hepatology. 2008;48:344A
  23. Dusheiko DM, Pol S, et al. Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with telaprevir (TVR) in combination with peginterferon-alfa-2a with or without ribavirin: further interim analysis results of the PROVE2 study. J Hepatol. 2008;48:S26
  24. Korba BE EM, Lui P, et al. Potential role for nitazoxanide in combination with STAT-C agents for the inhibition of HCV replication without the development of resistance. Hepatology. 2008;48:356A

 Conflicts of interest Michael W. Fried receives grant support from several companies that make competing products including Roche, Vertex, Human Genome Sciences, Wyeth, and Tibotec. He has no interest in or support from Romark, the sponsor of the study this editorial refers to.

 Dr Darling discloses no conflicts.

PII: S0016-5085(09)00050-X

doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2009.01.020

Gastroenterology
Volume 136, Issue 3 , Pages 760-763 , March 2009

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