Harvoni has arrived!!

[andrew856]

Just got my first bottle of harvoni and will start my twelve weeks tomorrow. I truly hope to beat this for good this time. I was deviated to learn I relapsed after doing a year of interferon. I'm very optimistic about this new drug and am anxious to get started and get results. Does the fact that I relapsed before mean my virus is resistant to med now? The process of getting the medicine was not as bad as I thought it would be, in fact my insurance only took about a week to approve the drug. And Gilead is paying my entire out of pocked of 6,000 and I only have to pay five dollars a fill. This  experience sure is shaping up to be a good one. Let's hope so.

[KimInTheForest]

Congrats Andrew. Good luck. You are on your way!

kim

[AussieRosa]

Great news that you're starting treatment, Andrew. I have no idea whether victrelis is a DAA like Harvoni so can't answer your question about resistance. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along and can shed some light on that for you. Please keep us informed as you go through treatment. Wishing you good luck with it.

[Lynn K]

Hi Andrew Congrats!

Got this from the AASLD treatment guidelines

http://www.hcvguidelines.org/full-report/retreatment-persons-whom-prior-therapy-has-failed

Victrelis aka boceprevir is a nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) protease inhibitor in the same class as telaprevir and simeprevir




Genotype 1 HCV nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) protease inhibitor (telaprevir, boceprevir, or simeprevir) plus PEG-IFN/RBV Treatment-experienced Patients without Cirrhosis - Recommended
Recommended regimens are listed in groups by level of evidence, then alphabetically.
 

    Daily fixed-dose combination ledipasvir (90 mg)/sofosbuvir (400 mg) for 12 weeks is a Recommended regimen for treatment of patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, regardless of subtype, who do not have cirrhosis, in whom prior treatment with an HCV protease inhibitor plus PEG-IFN/RBV has failed.
    Rating: Class I, Level A
     
    Daily daclatasvir (60 mg*) plus sofosbuvir (400 mg) for 12 weeks is a Recommended regimen for patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, regardless of subtype, who do not have cirrhosis, in whom prior treatment with an HCV protease inhibitor plus PEG-IFN/RBV has failed.
    Rating: Class IIa, Level B
     
    Daily fixed-dose combination elbasvir (50 mg)/grazoprevir (100 mg) with weight-based ribavirin for 12 weeks is a Recommended regimen for patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, regardless of subtype, who do not have cirrhosis, in whom prior treatment with an HCV protease inhibitor plus PEG-IFN/RBV has failed. Genotype 1a patients who have baseline high fold-change NS5A RAVs§ for elbasvir should have this treatment extended to 16 weeks.
    Rating: Class IIa, Level B

* The dose of daclatasvir may need to increase or decrease when used concomitantly with cytochrome P450 3A/4 inducers and inhibitors, respectively. Please refer to the prescribing information and the section on HIV/HCV coinfection for patients on antiretroviral therapy.

§ Includes G1a polymorphisms at amino acid positions 28, 30, 31, or 93. Amino acid substitutions that confer resistance.

The safety and efficacy of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir was evaluated in subjects in whom prior treatment with an HCV protease inhibitor (telaprevir or boceprevir) plus PEG-IFN/RBV has failed. (Afdhal, 2014b) SVR12 rates with 12- and 24-week regimens were high during both treatment durations (94% and 98%, respectively). Relapse rates in the ION-2 retreatment trial were numerically higher in the 12-week arms than in the 24-week arms. The pretreatment presence of cirrhosis or nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) resistance-associated variants (RAV) were the major reasons for the higher relapse rate in the 12-week arm. Thus, patients with cirrhosis in whom a prior regimen of PEG-IFN, RBV, and an HCV protease inhibitor has failed should receive 24 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, and patients without cirrhosis should receive 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir. Based on data from the SIRIUS study, patients with cirrhosis in whom a prior protease inhibitor-containing regimen failed may also receive ledipasvir/sofosbuvir plus weight-based RBV for 12 weeks. (Bourliere, 2015)


Hope this answers your question

Best of luck to you
Lynn

[Philadelphia]

Good luck with treatment- I'm pretty sure you'll find it easier that your last treatment!

[mary.wei]

Good luck!

[Myfly73]

I started harvoni beginning my 12 weeks journey today. It has been 8 hrs since my first pill. S far I'm not tired, no headache and I feel fine. However i did eat a filling meal with a 32 oz of bottled water. I will check back when any changes occur.