While current drugs are highly toxic and often cannot be tolerated by transplant patients taking immunosuppressant drugs,
ezetimibe is quite safe and has been
used long-term without harm by people to control their cholesterol, Uprichard said. Because it prevents entry of the virus into cells, ezetimibe may help protect the new liver from infection.
For patients with chronic hepatitis C, ezetimibe may be able to be used in combination with current drugs.