Progress of Hepatitis C Virus Non-structural Protein 5B Polymerase Inhibitors

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide health challenge. The non-structural protein 5B (NS5B) polymerase of the virus plays a key role in its RNA replication and is a key target for anti-HCV drug research. In recent years, studies on HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitors have made remarkable progress. This article introduces the structural properties and functions of HCV NS5B polymerase, reveals its central role in the process of viral replication, and reviews the research progress of two major classes of anti-HCV inhibitors, nucleoside and non-nucleoside, using NS5B polymerase as the target. The relevant studies provide some important reference and ideas for the further development of anti-HCV inhibitors.