UNITED STATES: New Drug Shows Promise for Hepatitis C

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

UNITED STATES: New Drug Shows Promise for Hepatitis C

Reuters (11.04.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Martha Kerr

At the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, a team of researchers said the investigational hepatitis C drug boceprevir appears to provide response rates that are nearly double those seen with current treatments.

"The high response rates seen with boceprevir in this study are very exciting, especially given that [the type of virus studied], genotype 1, is the most common and hardest to treat form of hepatitis C," said Dr. Paul Kwo of Indiana University, who led the HCV SPRINT-1 trial.

For the study, 595 hepatitis C-infected patients were randomly assigned to one of five treatment regimens featuring standard drugs (interferon and ribavirin) alone or combined with boceprevir. Patients who received only standard therapy had a response rate of 38 percent. By comparison, those who received standard therapy for four weeks, with boceprevir added for an additional 44 weeks had a response rate of 74 percent.

Kwo noted the side effects with the triple therapy "are not different" from ribavirin and interferon alone.

The rapid response achieved using triple therapy makes patients want to continue with treatment, Kwo said, "and we can begin using the word 'cure' in these patients." This is key because "patients are motivated to continue with therapy, to adhere to treatment, if they know they can be cured within 48 weeks," he said.

"We might even be able to change the outcome [of hepatitis C infection] with successful treatment," said Kwo. "We've seen a dramatic reversal of fibrosis and in some cases a reversal of cirrhosis."
081216
AD082354

Copyright © 2008 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2008. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2008. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.