Original Research

New Treatments for Hepatitis C

Fed Pract. 2015 February;32(suppl 2):25S-31S

References

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For current treatments, a 12-week course of simeprevir/sofosbuvir has been shown to be more costeffective than 24 weeks of sofosbuvir/RBV for treatment
of genotype 1. ²³ Similarly, patients with genotype 1, no cirrhosis, and low viral load can be treated with 8 weeks of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir rather than other 12-week regimens, thereby reducing drug costs. The resources needed for upfront treatment of patients is of obvious concern, and various systems are struggling to determine how to provide access to these pharmaceuticals. Prioritizing patients according to risk for advanced fibrosis using noninvasive scoring systems should be used if there is limited access or resources.

Conclusion

Since the VA has a large population of patients with HCV infection, the advancement in HCV treatment is of paramount importance. The advent of new DAAs in 2011 improved treatment efficacy for patients with HCV, but few patients could be treated due to AEs related to PEG. In 2013, new DAAs were introduced that did not require conjunctive therapy with PEG, providing a treatment option for patients who could not tolerate PEG. New DAA combinations are currently in trials and, upon approval, will provide more options for patients with HCV infection.

Author disclosures
Dr. Ho has received research and grant support from Genentech, Inc. and Gilead; he is on the speakers’ bureau for Prime Education, Inc. The other authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.

Grant Support
Funding provided by VA HSR&D grant IIR-13-052-2, VA HIV/HCV QUERI program, and the Research Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner, Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the U.S. Government, or any of its agencies. This article may discuss unlabeled or investigational use of certain drugs. Please review complete prescribing information for specific drugs or drug combinations—including indications, contraindications, warnings, and adverse effects—before administering pharmacologic therapy to patients.

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