Hepatitis C News

Six weeks of Sovaldi with ribavirin produced “sub-optimal” results in patients with hepatitis C, according to research published in Hepatology.

The FDA now requires a boxed warning — its most prominent warning — on certain direct-acting antiviral agents, saying patients with hepatitis C taking them might be at risk for hepatitis B recurring, potentially causing serious liver problems and death, according to a safety announcement. Two dozen such instances in patients treated from Nov. 22, 2013 through July 18, 2016 have been identified.  

The economic and clinical impact of hepatitis C in patients who did not achieve sustained virologic response totals more than 40,000 euros, according to a presentation at the 2016 EASL Special Conference: New Perspectives in Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Researchers recommend multiple, inexpensive interventions be included in screening, diagnosis and treatment programs for patients with hepatitis B and C viruses, in an effort to optimize the outcomes of hepatitis care, according to new data published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to AbbVie’s investigational regimen for patients with hepatitis C virus infection who failed previous direct-acting antiviral therapy, the manufacturer announced.

WHO launched its global health strategy this year with the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus infection as a public threat by 2030. While the prevention and control of infection is feasible, many barriers exist for the complete eradication of the infection, including access to treatment and implementation of the strategy among global partners, according to a report published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

A new report suggests while the list prices of the most commonly used drugs for hepatitis C vary across industrialized countries, net prices negotiated by various organizations and governments reflect a similarity in actual cost.

Due to incarceration driving transmission of hepatitis C, treating inmates with the disease would significantly boost WHO’s goal of eliminating viral hepatitis worldwide by 2030, according to presentations at the 5th International Symposium on Hepatitis Care in Substance Abusers.

Methadone users may delay seeking treatment for hepatitis due to misconceptions about the disease and its treatment options, according to study results presented at the 2016 EASL Special Conference: New Perspectives in Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

During a special conference, EASL released its 2016 recommendations for the treatment of hepatitis C. The findings were simultaneously published in the Journal of Hepatology.