Prospects for prophylactic hepatitis C vaccines based on virus-like particles

Given the global prevalence and long-term complications of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, HCV constitutes one of the greatest challenges to human health of this decade. Considerable efforts have focused on the development of new effective treatments, but about three to four million individuals become infected each year, adding to the world reservoir of HCV infection. The development of a prophylactic vaccine against hepatitis C virus has thus become an important medical priority. Only a few vaccine candidates have progressed to the clinical phase, and published data on both the efficacy and safety of these vaccines are limited, due to many scientific, logistic and bioethic challenges. Fortunately, new innovative vaccine formulations, modes of vaccination and delivery technologies have been developed in recent years. Several preclinical trials of virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccination strategies are currently underway and have already generated very promising results. In this commentary, we consider the current state of prophylactic HCV vaccines, the hurdles to be overcome in the future and the various VLP-based vaccination approaches currently being developed.