Has the new hep c treatment been aproved for co infection HIV and HEP C?

[iana5252]

A reader asked the question on our recent "Road to a Cure" article http://www.hepmag.com/articles/Road_Cure_HCV_2663_21196.shtml

Hep editor Tim Horn responded...

"Neither of the hep C protease inhibitors (Incivek or Victrelis) have been approved for coinfected individuals. To learn more about coinfection, see our detailed AIDSmeds lesson at http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/HCV_9984.shtml"

[frankfromatlanta]

why does it take so long to keep co-infection approval?

[Tim Horn]

Frank:

Pharmaceutical companies fully realize that the fastest way to approve their experimental drugs -- and begin recovering costs -- is via a straight line. Companies and their associated researchers know that it's easiest to enroll clinical trials involving volunteers with the fewest complications. Because HIV can greatly complicate hepatitis C treatment (e.g., lots of drug-drug interactions, along with the potential for worse effectiveness and more side effects), studies focusing on coinfection tend not to be a part of a company's primary research and development agenda.

This is not to say that people with HIV coinfection are completely neglected. Vertex is conducting a study of Incivek in people living with both HIV and HCV and both Vertex and Merck have been conducting important drug interaction studies (we definitely need to know if their drugs can be safely combined with antiretrovirals used to treat HIV). Once this information becomes available, the companies will be in a good position to expand their drugs' indications to include coinfected individuals.

Of course, some people coinfected with HIV and HCV are already using these medications. But this requires some special handling, given that it really does take an expert to know how to prescribe either Incivek or Victrelis for people living with HIV, particularly if they're using HIV medications.

Tim

 

[iana5252]

Victrelis Keeps Hep C Viral Load Undetectable for 24 Weeks in 7 of 10 Coinfected Patients
http://www.hepmag.com/articles/hiv_hcv_victrelis_2501_21348.shtml

New co-infection report on the effectiveness of Merck’s HCV protease inhibitor Victrelis (boceprevir).

[frankfromatlanta]

thanks for the update  it sounds like a good start