Interferon-Free Combination Therapy Is Effective for Hepatitis C Patients
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Interferon-free regimens effective for hepatitis C virus genotype 1
By: MARY ANN MOON, Family Practice News Digital Network
An interferon-free regimen of faldaprevir, deleobuvir, and ribavirin proved to be effective in a phase II clinical trial involving 362 patients with previously untreated chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The new combination therapy achieved sustained virologic response rates of 52%-69% 12 weeks after treatment was completed, reported Dr. Stefan Zeuzem of Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt am Main (Germany), and his associates (N. Engl. J. Med. 2013;369:630-9).
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41 Comments
Toss-a-coin to 69% SVR is effective?!? 112-174 patients might beg to differ… And why is it the trials almost ALWAYS cite SVR @ 12 wks (3 mos) as opposed to the 24 wks (6 mos) when post-Tx? While ‘fast tracking’ IS laudable, ‘false-hoping’ ISN’T!
It saddens me that there is a near 100% effective treatment for Hep C yet Gilead put a stop to it. I was cured over 2 years ago with it in a phase ll trial, it could have been on the market by now! Sad, Sad, Sad.
Hi Craig
Can you tell me more about the treatment you received? I am willing to go outside the US.
Who or what is Gilead?
A pharmaceutical company.
Hi Kevin,
So u was GT 4, lucky me I am GT 4 patient I thought no cure for my GT. thanks a lot man you have me hope.
Osama Arafa.
Hi Osama: Yes I was GT 4. My last blood test in August, 2013, I was still undetectable. Tomorrow I again go for a blood test which will be 16 weeks after stopping the medications and hopefully, I’ll still be undetectable. I’ll try to keep you informed. The medicines they used are manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Company which I believe are headquartered in New York. There were no side-effects except for a slight headache which was easily managed by taking a small dose of Ibuprofin.
Best regards,
Kevin Harkin
Thank you a lot man, I suffered from the injection interferon for 12 month and the virus returned back after 3 month I was in shock, I hope the oral one will be in the market 2014 here in Canada.
Best Rregards,
Osama Arafa.
Hi again: Yes the doctor that’s in charge of the trial/study said the drug should be on the market late 2014 or early 2015. I hope it’s soon. But, there are other drugcompanies that have developed similar drugs and theirs may be released sooner. I believe and I’m not sure, one drug kills the virus, the other takes away the enzyme it needs to reproduce and the third drug, I’m not sure. You may be able to Google “Bristol Myer Squibbs to find out.
Good luck to you. It will all work out to your benefit.
Regards,
Kevin Harkin
I was in a trial, actually still in a trial testing Bristol Myer Squibbs all oral treatment. I took 3 pills twice a day for 12 weeks and then stopped. I have been undetectable 3 months after stopping the medication. The doctor told me today, “It looks like you’re cured.” They have had a very high success rate with these medications which is somewhere near 96% cured; including genotype 1 trial participants.
Congratulations, Kevin! I am still waiting for the cure. I am a GT 3a, which used to be the easiest to treat (with SOC), but now is the hardest to treat (with the new trial drugs).
Well there are 3 or 4 drug companies that have slightly different drugs so hopefully one of them will work for you. When I had the Hep. C., I took lots of milk thistle, 8 capsules a day, liver 52 4 caps a day, NAC and alpha lapoic acid and that kept my liver enzymes normal.
There is remission, no cure.
Oh I forgot. Google “Bristol Myer Squibbs all oral Hep C meds” and the results of the trials should come up. Also, I want to say that there were very minimal side-effects only a very slight headache. After the Hep C cleared, my liver enzymes went back down to normal and have stayed normal. No more itching and my energy level has returned to normal. My doctor doesn’t know when the FDA is going to let the medications to be released to the public. He’s hoping some time in 2014.
I read the results of a Gilead with another company’s trials and they looked amazing. But, is this the one Gilead dropped out of after Phase 2, not wishing to share results with other company?
there re 5-6 genotypes,…..all new DDA,S are good on 1,2 and 5,…unfortunately the one that was supposed to be easiest to treat is becoming a whole new different ballgame as they can,t viraly sequence 3,….so good luck to all others s far,….so what happens there?….thankfully with some interferon 3 can be removed with DDA,S,…i have it and have relapsed 2 x,….So as the liver disintegrates,…..big pharma play,s inveestor politic,s for maximum profit,…..Nice!!!
I am also a GT3. Waiting for the cure.
ive decided to go ahead n take interferon and ribovirin. do u know is it really like taking chemo?
it is a mild form of chemo..interferon has many uses in cancer treatment..its not pleasant, but, its a possible life saving therapy and worth the effort..it does beat the possible alternative..its always worth a shot at a lifetime full length..
thxs for answering, interesting comment
I wouldn’t do it! We are so close to a cure with much more well tolerated treatments. INF and Riba is a tough road. Those drugs also have lasting side effects. Please reconsider if your biopsy shows little liver damage.
what kind of lasting side effects ??? i appreciate your feedback. thxs
Some of the side effects are vision damage, joint pain, rash, lack of ability to concentrate, low blood numbers, and fatigue. Some people recover from the side effects and some don’t. I am not willing to risk it…..
I wouldn’t do it. Too many bad side-effects. They’re very close to approving the all oral drugs that have virtually no side-effects.
Interferon is a milder chemotherapy drug.
I am GT5. Went through the interferon and ribovirin 2 times. Once with a Gastro and the 2nd time with a Infectious Disease doctor. I was non detectable both times within 4 weeks. The 1st doctor kept me on it for only 9 months. The Infectious Disease kept me on it for 13 months. I was never so sick before in all my life. It came back both times as sone as I was off the treatment. I would rather die before taking that again. I am currently looking for alternative methods or waiting for something that actually works before I do die
I was Genotype 4 which isn’t very common in the U.S.
How nice to be able to say I WAS a GT 4! 🙂
Hopefully, everyone will be able to say “I Was” in the very near future.
Yes! I am hoping that they will start up some new trials for GT3 very soon. I am ready to slay this dragon!
I have 3a and am in a trial at cedars Hosp in Los Angeles by week 4 I am non detected. I also have cirrhosis . I feel great on the treatment . I will be on it for total of 12 weeks
Wendy
Wendy, that is great news! Please tell me what trial you are doing. Drug company & trial meds please!!
who can i call at cedars, I have G1, thanks wendy
i keep seeing the word cured… try donating blood and see what they say
No, you can never donate blood. Why? I’m not sure.
Because even though you achieve SVR (cure) you will always test positive for the HCV antibody. That is what blood banks look for and results in disqualification. Doesn’t mean you’ve got an active infection, it indicates you did at one time. Hope this helps!
It does help, Tig, thank you for the explanation. Take care.
Any news re genotype 2b?? Hate to sound so impatient, but there are a lot of us out here…looking forward to some good news
Hi Kevin, thanks for all of your info. I have geno type 1 & took a clinical trial of interferon, ribavirin & a teat drug. The ” cure almost killed me. So looking forward to the new oral meds. I will check and see if this is available in my area. I will up my intake of milk thistle, I was only taking 2-4 per day. By the way I was in the treatment for almost 12 weeks, my wbc got down to 500 & they told me it was normal!! My PC doctor said if I didn`t stop I wouldn`t be around long enough to worry about it. Please be careful where you go for clinical trials and ask what your numbers are on your blood tests.
Hi Chris: I’m sure the oral treatments will be available soon. Yes, up your Milk Thistle since it’s not easily absorbed. Also Alpha Lopoic Acid and NAC, All three brought my enzymes into the normal range when I had active HEP C. Good Luck to you.
If milk thistle seems to ease some symptom, go for it, but the biggest OTC helper we’ve had for years, finally was tested by the Center for Disease Control (aprx. May 2012) and proven to not be able to lower any bad counts from Hepatitis C. I hate to see anybody spending their bit of disability on something that is shown not to improve things.