Biochemically, the NS5A protein has been linked to increased replication of the hepatitis C virus through p70S6K phosphopeptides. Sirolimus as inhibitor of pathway mTOR/p70S6K reduced in vivo phosphorylation of NS5A phosphopeptides and thus viral replication. Moreover, the mTOR protein has been proven in vitron to have a protective role against apoptosis in HCV infected cells (WAGNER et al., 2010).