How the human genome can predict response to Hepatitis C therapy

It has long been suspected that host genetic factors influenced treatment outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Three independent genome-wide association studies have recently identified genetic variation in the IL28B gene (coding for IFN-λ3) that determines the outcome of interferon-α-based therapy for patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C infection. These discoveries confirm the potential for a pharmacogenomics approach to personalizing anti-HCV treatment