Shivakumar Narayanan1, Kerry Townsend2, Thomas Macharia1, Adrian Majid1, Amy Nelson2, Robert R Redfield1, Shyam Kottilil3, Rohit Talwani1, Anu Osinusi1,2. 1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. 2. Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10/11N204, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. 3. Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10/11N204, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. skottilil@niaid.nih.gov.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Triple therapy for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with first-generation directly acting antiviral agents, the non-structural serine protease inhibitors boceprevir (BOC) and telaprevir have resulted in improved sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. However, a high incidence of adverse events (AEs), high pill burdens and drug interactions remain significant barriers to successful completion of therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the AEs observed with BOC triple therapy in comparison to IFN-free sofosbuvir/ribavirin (SOF/RBV) therapy in HCV monoinfected, genotype-1 (GT-1) individuals. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated HCV monoinfected, treatment-naïve or -experienced, GT-1 individuals treated with either BOC/IFN/RBV at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore (n = 97) or SOF/RBV in the NIAID SPARE clinical trial (n = 60). AEs, namely hematologic (hemoglobin, neutrophil and platelet counts), hepatic (alanine transaminase or bilirubin) and renal (eGFR), were measured according to the DAIDS toxicity table (version 1.0). RESULTS: BOC/IFN/RBV was associated with significantly more AEs, most commonly neutropenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia. In the SOF/RBV cohort, five (8 %) patients discontinued treatment early, but none (0 %) were because of AEs, while 60 (62 %) patients on triple therapy discontinued treatment early, 34 (57 %) because of AEs. SVR24 rates were 68 versus 34 % with SOF/RBV versus BOC/IFN/RBV. CONCLUSIONS: SOF/RBV treatment was associated with fewer side effects than BOC-based triple therapy, appearing to be a safer and more tolerable alternative for HCV GT-1 subjects. These results show that emerging IFN-free therapies may enhance patient adherence, allowing treatment of larger number of patients with improved efficacy.
BACKGROUND: Triple therapy for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with first-generation directly acting antiviral agents, the non-structural serine protease inhibitors boceprevir (BOC) and telaprevir have resulted in improved sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. However, a high incidence of adverse events (AEs), high pill burdens and drug interactions remain significant barriers to successful completion of therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the AEs observed with BOC triple therapy in comparison to IFN-free sofosbuvir/ribavirin (SOF/RBV) therapy in HCV monoinfected, genotype-1 (GT-1) individuals. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated HCV monoinfected, treatment-naïve or -experienced, GT-1 individuals treated with either BOC/IFN/RBV at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore (n = 97) or SOF/RBV in the NIAID SPARE clinical trial (n = 60). AEs, namely hematologic (hemoglobin, neutrophil and platelet counts), hepatic (alanine transaminase or bilirubin) and renal (eGFR), were measured according to the DAIDS toxicity table (version 1.0). RESULTS: BOC/IFN/RBV was associated with significantly more AEs, most commonly neutropenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia. In the SOF/RBV cohort, five (8 %) patients discontinued treatment early, but none (0 %) were because of AEs, while 60 (62 %) patients on triple therapy discontinued treatment early, 34 (57 %) because of AEs. SVR24 rates were 68 versus 34 % with SOF/RBV versus BOC/IFN/RBV. CONCLUSIONS: SOF/RBV treatment was associated with fewer side effects than BOC-based triple therapy, appearing to be a safer and more tolerable alternative for HCV GT-1 subjects. These results show that emerging IFN-free therapies may enhance patient adherence, allowing treatment of larger number of patients with improved efficacy.
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