Optimal therapy in genotype 4 chronic hepatitis C: finally cured?

Abstract

Optimal therapy for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 (HCV-4) infection is changing rapidly, and the possibility of a total cure is near. The standard of care has been combination pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-ribavirin (RBV), with modest response rates and considerable adverse events. Since the introduction of sofosbuvir (SOF), simeprevir (SIM), and daclatasvir (DCV), the duration of treatment has been significantly shortened and response rates have increased. The recommended treatment for IFN-eligible patients is PEG-IFN/RBV plus SOF, SIM or DCV. In IFN ineligible patients, the optimal regimen is a 24-week course of SOF/RBV, or a 12-week course of SOF-SIM or SOF-DCV with or without RBV. The pipeline for patients with chronic HCV is highly active. IFN-free combinations with paritaprevir-ombitasvir, SOF-ledipasvir, or DCV-asunaprevir (ASV)-beclabuvir (BMS-791325) for 12 weeks or less with close to 100% cure rates will soon become the optimal therapy.

• Authors: Wael Abdel-Razek, Imam Waked
• Journal: Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver (Liver Int) Vol. 35 Suppl 1 Pg. 27-34 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1478-3231 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25529085 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Carbamates
• Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
• Imidazoles
• Interferon-alpha
• Pyrrolidines
• Recombinant Proteins
• Sulfonamides
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins
• Polyethylene Glycols
• Ribavirin
• Simeprevir
• Uridine Monophosphate
• NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus
• Valine
• daclatasvir
• peginterferon alfa-2a
• Sofosbuvir

Topics

• Carbamates
• Drug Therapy, Combination (methods, trends)
• Genotype
• Hepacivirus (drug effects, genetics)
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (drug therapy, genetics)
• Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Imidazoles (therapeutic use)
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Polyethylene Glycols (therapeutic use)
• Pyrrolidines
• Recombinant Proteins (therapeutic use)
• Ribavirin (therapeutic use)
• Simeprevir
• Sofosbuvir
• Sulfonamides (therapeutic use)
• Uridine Monophosphate (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Valine (analogs & derivatives)
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors)