Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
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Administration of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin after liver transplantation in the setting of established HCV recurrence was well tolerated, and approximately 80% of patients achieved an early SVR at 4 weeks. There were no episodes of rejection or drug interaction, and there was no apparent effect of sofosbuvir on serum levels of immunosuppressive medications, offering the potential for an all-oral therapy for treatment of HCV infection after liver transplantation.[22] Sofosbuvir and ribavirin may, in fact, be used in the pretransplant phase to prevent recurrence of HCV infection after transplantation.[23]
In summary, 2 novel direct-acting antiviral agents -- sofosbuvir and simeprevir -- target various components of the HCV genome. Advantages of these drugs include a high barrier to viral resistance, a shorter duration of treatment, once-daily dosing, absence of food restrictions, few clinically significant drug interactions, and similar efficacy in all genotypes. This will offer clinicians new options as well as new challenges. A recent review addressed some of these anticipated issues, such as the off-label use of HCV medications and the roles of the FDA, consumer pressure, medical society guidelines, and third-party payers.[24]
The availability of these agents will provide unprecedented opportunities for off-label use of these therapies in many patients, including those with decompensated cirrhosis or chronic kidney disease, pediatric populations, and those with HIV coinfection. Because many of these populations represent relatively small numbers of patients with HCV, it may be difficult to accumulate the requisite data and possibly cost-prohibitive for manufacturers to apply for FDA approval.
The bottom line is that simpler, shorter, and safer strategies for treatment of patients infected with HCV are at hand.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/815115_1
Administration of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin after liver transplantation in the setting of established HCV recurrence was well tolerated, and approximately 80% of patients achieved an early SVR at 4 weeks. There were no episodes of rejection or drug interaction, and there was no apparent effect of sofosbuvir on serum levels of immunosuppressive medications, offering the potential for an all-oral therapy for treatment of HCV infection after liver transplantation.[22] Sofosbuvir and ribavirin may, in fact, be used in the pretransplant phase to prevent recurrence of HCV infection after transplantation.[23]
In summary, 2 novel direct-acting antiviral agents -- sofosbuvir and simeprevir -- target various components of the HCV genome. Advantages of these drugs include a high barrier to viral resistance, a shorter duration of treatment, once-daily dosing, absence of food restrictions, few clinically significant drug interactions, and similar efficacy in all genotypes. This will offer clinicians new options as well as new challenges. A recent review addressed some of these anticipated issues, such as the off-label use of HCV medications and the roles of the FDA, consumer pressure, medical society guidelines, and third-party payers.[24]
The availability of these agents will provide unprecedented opportunities for off-label use of these therapies in many patients, including those with decompensated cirrhosis or chronic kidney disease, pediatric populations, and those with HIV coinfection. Because many of these populations represent relatively small numbers of patients with HCV, it may be difficult to accumulate the requisite data and possibly cost-prohibitive for manufacturers to apply for FDA approval.
The bottom line is that simpler, shorter, and safer strategies for treatment of patients infected with HCV are at hand.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/815115_1
A new medication for chronic hepatitis C that can be paired with other drugs to make treatment of the liver-damaging disease faster, easier and more effective got approval from the Food and Drug Administration Friday.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/06/hepatitis-fda-approval/3882515/