ANTI-HCV AGENTS
Zepatier for hepatitis C approved in Canada
Zepatier is a fixed-dose combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir. This story first appeared in CATIE News and we include it here as part of a package on Zepatier-related information.
Zepatier in hepatitis C virus genotype 1a
There are several strains, or genotypes, of hepatitis C virus (HCV). In Canada, genotype 1 is common, and genotype 1a is more common than genotype 1b. Furthermore, genotype 1a tends to respond less to therapy than 1b. Researchers in several countries pooled data from phase II and phase III trials of Zepatier (a fixed-dose combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir) taken with or without the broad-spectrum antiviral drug ribavirin in people with HCV genotype 1a. They then reviewed this data.
Researchers reviewed information from six clinical trials on Zepatier to better understand its safety and effectiveness. For this review, researchers relied on data from 402 participants, focusing on extensive scarring of the liver (cirrhosis).
Zepatier in HCV and HIV co-infection
Due to shared routes of infection, some people are simultaneously infected with two viruses—HIV and HCV. This state is called co-infection. Researchers recruited 218 participants who were co-infected with HIV and HCV to participate in a 12-week trial of Zepatier. Results showed that Zepatier had high rates of cure in co-infected people with HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, and 4.
Zepatier in people grappling with drug addiction
In Canada and other high-income countries the main way that HCV infection generally spreads today is through sharing equipment for substance use. Researchers collaborated in a study called Co-Star that sought to treat HCV in people who use street drugs. Overall, 92% of participants were cured. According to the researchers, adherence to the study medications was high, averaging between 97% and 100%.