Highly preliminary findings of research into anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA technology suggest that one day in the not-so-near future the virus may be curable with a single infusion, MedPage Today reports. David Suhy, PhD, of Tacere Therapeutics in San Francisco, gave a plenary presentation about research into this approach at attacking the virus at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Washington, DC.

The technology would use what is known as a recombinant viral vector, which is capable of integrating genetic code into the genome of human cells. Specifically, the vector would splice RNA fragments into liver cells that, so long as those cells are alive, would interfere with the replication of hep C. Early research shows promise, and the cure approach should go into human trials in early 2014.

While a single shot would eliminate the need for adherence to a drug for an extended period of time, a reason for caution is that the treatment would be irreversible.

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