Friday, January 8, 2016

The Hepatitis C Revolution Part 2


The Hepatitis C Revolution Part 2
What additional treatment strategies may be employed in difficult-to-treat hepatitis C patients?

Abstract
Purpose of review Novel direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents are highly effective in the treatment of hepatitis C, achieving unprecedented rates of sustained virological response, a functional cure. However, a significant minority of patients belong to 'difficult-to-treat' groups, in which efficacy of DAAs appears less robust. The review article aims to discuss additional treatment strategies which may be employed in these patient cohorts, as well as evidence for the potential role of experimental DAAs.

Recent findings Patients with genotype 3 infection have consistently lower rates of virological clearance following DAA therapy when compared with other genotypes. However, in combination with sofosbuvir, the novel nonstructural protein 5A inhibitor daclatasvir has demonstrated high efficacy in the treatment of noncirrhotic genotype 3 infection. Recent data from phase 2 and 3 clinical studies support the use of currently approved DAA regimens in the treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. Sustained virological response rates in coinfected patients are analogous to those observed in monoinfection, such that HIV infection itself does not pose a barrier to DAA efficacy. In posttransplant populations, DAAs have again shown great potential, with trial data validating use of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir.

Summary Unmet need persists in certain subsets of the hepatitis C patient population. The arrival on scene of novel DAAs is likely to further expand the repertoire of available therapy for these 'difficult-to-treat' groups.
Continue to full text article....

January 08, 2016
The Hepatitis C Revolution Part 1
This review article discusses novel hepatitis C virus treatment options in hopes to clarify best available evidence for clinicians treating patients with HCV.

The rapid evolution in the therapeutic landscape of hepatitis C presents a minefield to clinicians seeking to optimize therapy for their patients. Efficacy, evidence-base, side-effects, and drug combinations must be tailored to individual patients, taking into account comorbidities, degree of fibrosis, evidence of hepatic decompensation, and life expectancy. The review article aims to discuss novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments with an overview of recent breakthrough research validating their potential. It is hoped that this systematic evaluation will clarify best available evidence for clinicians treating patients with HCV on a regular basis.


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