New Treatment Option Offers High cure Rates for Chronic Hepatitis C
Washington, D.C. – A new oral medication, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB), is demonstrating remarkably high success rates in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in adults, offering a significant advancement for the millions worldwide affected by the disease. Approved in 2018, the fixed-dose combination therapy represents a streamlined approach to eradicating the virus, even in patients with complex medical histories.
Hepatitis C,a bloodborne virus,can lead to serious liver damage,cirrhosis,and liver cancer if left untreated. While previous treatments often involved lengthy interferon-based regimens with debilitating side effects, GLE/PIB offers a shorter, better-tolerated course of therapy.This is notably crucial as many individuals remain undiagnosed or have failed prior treatments, and the global burden of HCV remains substantial. The development of highly effective direct-acting antivirals like GLE/PIB is transforming the landscape of HCV care, moving towards a future where a cure is attainable for all.
GLE/PIB functions by simultaneously targeting two proteins essential for the HCV lifecycle: NS3/4A protease and NS5A. Glecaprevir inhibits the NS3/4A protease,preventing the virus from replicating,while pibrentasvir blocks the NS5A protein,which plays a critical role in viral assembly. This dual mechanism of action contributes to the treatment’s high efficacy across all six major HCV genotypes (GT-1-6).
Clinical trials have shown that an 8- or 12-week course of GLE/PIB achieves sustained virologic response (SVR), indicating a cure, in a vast majority of patients – including those with compensated cirrhosis and even those co-infected with HIV.Importantly, the medication is generally well-tolerated, with headache and fatigue being the most commonly reported adverse events.
The recommended dosage is three tablets taken orally once daily with food, delivering a total daily dose of 300 mg of glecaprevir and 120 mg of pibrentasvir. A significant advantage of GLE/PIB is that no dose adjustments are typically required for patients with any degree of renal impairment or those undergoing hemodialysis. Similarly, no dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild liver disease (Child-Pugh A). though, its use is not recommended in individuals with moderate (Child-Pugh B) or severe (child-Pugh C) hepatic impairment.
This treatment was detailed in a 2018 article published in Drugs of Today (volume 54, number 7, pages 407-421; DOI: 10.1358/dot.2018.54.7.2828188) by V. Nehra, S. A. Rizza, and Z. Temesgen. The article highlights the potential of GLE/PIB to considerably improve outcomes for individuals living with chronic HCV infection and contribute to global elimination efforts.
