New combination drug therapy proves very effective in hepatitis C treatments
Date:
April 12, 2014
Source:
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Summary:
Treatment
options for the 170 million people worldwide with chronic Hepatitis C
Virus (HCV) are evolving rapidly, although the available regimens often
come with significant side effects. Two multi-center clinical trials
show promise for a new option that could help lead to both an increase
in patients cured with a much more simple and tolerable all oral
therapy.
Treatment
options for the 170 million people worldwide with chronic Hepatitis C
Virus (HCV) are evolving rapidly, although the available regimens often
come with significant side effects. Two multi-center clinical trials led
by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center show promise for a new option
that could help lead to both an increase in patients cured with a much
more simple and tolerable all oral therapy.
A
new 12-week single tablet regimen of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir have
proven to be highly effective in treating a broad range of patients with
HCV genotype 1, a form of the virus found in up to 75 percent of
infections, according to results unveiled today at the European
Association for the Study of the Liver and published simultaneously
online by the New England Journal of Medicine.
Between 94 percent and 99 percent of patients were cured of hepatitis C and results were similar in patients who have never been treated and for those who had previously been treated with a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin, the current course that carries sometimes significant side effects.
“Eliminating interferon and ribavirin from treatment regimens is expected to reduce the incidence and severity of adverse events, to simplify the treatment of patients with HCV infection and to provide an option for patients who are ineligible for the current interferon-based treatments,” said Nezam Afdhal, MD, the senior author of the studies, Director of the Liver Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver and which can lead to scarring and cirrhosis and is transmitted primarily through blood transfusions (prior to 1991), intravenous drug use, poorly sterilized medical equipment and sexual transmission.. After exposure 80 percent of patients develop a chronic hepatitis which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer and hepatitis C is the most common cause for liver transplantation in the US.
Prior treatments have been with interferon which is an injectable cytokine released in response to viral infections. Interferon is combined with other antiviral agents and needs to be used for up to 48 weeks to cure hepatitis C. but is associated with number of side effects, including influenza-like symptoms depression and anemia. Many patients are ineligible for these interferon-based therapies.
“The real advances seen in the Ion trials is that the sofosbuvir-ledipasvir combination tablet enables us to treat almost all genotype 1 patients with a short duration of 8-12 weeks of treatment expanding the treatment pool and increasing the overall cure rate,” said Afdhal.
Recent recommendations by the CDC and endorsed by the USPHS Task force have recommended screening of baby boomers (persons born between 1945 and 1965) for hepatitis C since up to3 percent may have silent infection without symptoms.
“Screening for HCV needs to be associated with a safe and effective treatment for these “baby boomers” with newly identified HCV and the ION trials clearly give an exciting new option for these patients” stated Afdhal.
Read More Here
Between 94 percent and 99 percent of patients were cured of hepatitis C and results were similar in patients who have never been treated and for those who had previously been treated with a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin, the current course that carries sometimes significant side effects.
“Eliminating interferon and ribavirin from treatment regimens is expected to reduce the incidence and severity of adverse events, to simplify the treatment of patients with HCV infection and to provide an option for patients who are ineligible for the current interferon-based treatments,” said Nezam Afdhal, MD, the senior author of the studies, Director of the Liver Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver and which can lead to scarring and cirrhosis and is transmitted primarily through blood transfusions (prior to 1991), intravenous drug use, poorly sterilized medical equipment and sexual transmission.. After exposure 80 percent of patients develop a chronic hepatitis which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer and hepatitis C is the most common cause for liver transplantation in the US.
Prior treatments have been with interferon which is an injectable cytokine released in response to viral infections. Interferon is combined with other antiviral agents and needs to be used for up to 48 weeks to cure hepatitis C. but is associated with number of side effects, including influenza-like symptoms depression and anemia. Many patients are ineligible for these interferon-based therapies.
“The real advances seen in the Ion trials is that the sofosbuvir-ledipasvir combination tablet enables us to treat almost all genotype 1 patients with a short duration of 8-12 weeks of treatment expanding the treatment pool and increasing the overall cure rate,” said Afdhal.
Recent recommendations by the CDC and endorsed by the USPHS Task force have recommended screening of baby boomers (persons born between 1945 and 1965) for hepatitis C since up to3 percent may have silent infection without symptoms.
“Screening for HCV needs to be associated with a safe and effective treatment for these “baby boomers” with newly identified HCV and the ION trials clearly give an exciting new option for these patients” stated Afdhal.
Read More Here
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