Phase III results in Genotype 1 naïve patients: predictors of response with boceprevir and telaprevir combined with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.

The addition of telaprevir or boceprevir to pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) and ribavirin (RBV) has improved sustained viral response (SVR) rates in genotype-1-infected individuals. The recent publication of Phase III trials has made it possible to examine pretreatment and on-treatment predictors of response in genotype 1 naïve patients. Both telaprevir- and boceprevir-based therapy improve SVR rates in most treatment groups including individuals who are difficult-to-treat such as those with a high viral load, Black patients and those with advanced fibrosis. Although data sets were not complete, patients with IL28B CT and TT genotype appear to significantly improve when these agents are combined with PEG-INF and RBV. The presence of the IL-28B CC genotype appears to be predictive for a short duration of therapy. On-treatment viral response is also predictive of the SVR: approximately half of the patients are successfully treated with short duration and response-guided therapy.