We previously reported our data on
telaprevir (TVR) used in combination with pegylated-
interferon and
ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) for the treatment of recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1
infection after
liver transplantation (LT). TVR substantially increases the blood levels of
immunosuppressive agents such as
cyclosporine and
tacrolimus for drug-drug interactions. On the other hand, the effect of
simeprevir (SMV) on the blood levels of these
immunosuppressive agents is unclear. We report 2 patients who achieved viral responses with little effect on the blood levels of
cyclosporine and
tacrolimus using SMV plus PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. The first was a 71-year-old woman with HCV-related
liver cirrhosis and
hepatocellular carcinoma who failed to respond to PEG-IFN/RBV after living donor LT. She was treated with 40 mg/d of
cyclosporine, and received SMV plus PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. The second was a 65-year-old man with HCV-related
liver cirrhosis who failed to respond to PEG-IFN/RBV after living donor LT. He was treated with 3 mg/d of
tacrolimus, and received SMV plus PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. Serum HCV
RNA became undetectable using TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test after 4 weeks of treatment in both patients, and no remarkable fluctuation in blood concentration was observed either in
cyclosporine or
tacrolimus during the 12 weeks of SMV treatment. Completion of 12-week SMV triple
therapy was followed by PEG-IFNα2b plus RBV, and both patients achieved sustained virological response 12 weeks after the end of treatment. SMV plus PEG-IFNRBV treatment showed a remarkable viral response with little effect on blood levels of
immunosuppressive agents for recurrent HCV genotype 1
infection after LT.