This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Top HCV stories from International Liver Congress

Healio.com/Hepatology and HCV Next have compiled a list of the latest, most relevant research on hepatitis C virus infection, presented recently at International Liver Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Study shows generics pose safe, economic option for patients with HCV

“In this interim analysis, legally imported generic DAAs led to high SVR rates,” James Freeman, MD, executive director, GP2U Telehealth, Australia, said during a press conference. “A generic cure for hepatitis C is available now for $1,000 and works as expected. … Not in the future, but right now.” Read more

James Freeman

Harvoni safe, effective in adolescents with HCV

BARCELONA — Adolescents treated with Harvoni achieved 97% rates of sustained virologic response, similar to that of adult counterparts. Read more

Community-based HCV treatment lessens burden on specialists

“Currently, the limited availability of experienced specialists restricts rapid expansion of hepatitis C treatment, compromising the goal of global eradication. As such, care models which bypass this therapeutic bottleneck must be explored,” Sarah Kattakuzhy, MD, assistant professor at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said at the congress. Read more

HCV-positive organs safe long-term, offer transplant solution for patients with HCV

BARCELONA — Medium to long-term survival and other outcomes of liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus infection transplanted from HCV-positive donors were similar to patients who had HCV-negative donors, according to data presented by Zobair Younossi, MD, MPH, chairman of the department of medicine, Inova Fairfax Hospital, and vice president for research of Inova Health System. Read more

DAA therapy for HCV aids in deactivation, delisting of transplant patients

“Second generation DAAs favored the inactivation due to clinical improvement of about 30% of treated patients after 60 weeks,” Luca S. Belli, MD, said during a press conference at the International Liver Congress 2016. “Almost 80% of patients who were inactivated will be delisted.” Read more

Luca S. Belli

Lower SVR rates, more death with DAA therapy in high MELD setting

“Treating patients with MELD 18 or greater may be an issue due to their high mortality during or within 12 weeks after treatment,” Carlos Fernández-Carillo, junior consultant at Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda, Madrid, said during his presentation. “Honest discussion with the patient and decisions on a case-by-case basis is warranted.” Read more

Zepatier safe, efficacious in general, problematic HCV patient populations

BARCELONA — Data from a phase 3 trial presented at the International Liver Congress suggested that Zepatier is noninferior to and better tolerated than a Sovaldi-based regimen for hepatitis C virus infection treatment. Read more

Harvoni safe, effective in kidney transplant patients with HCV

“Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir fixed-combination therapy was generally safe and well-tolerated in kidney transplant recipients with hepatitis C infection and no clinically meaningful reductions in renal function were observed,” Massimo Colombo, MD, from the Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, said during his presentation. Read more

Separate, coadministration of investigational HIV, HCV vaccines induce similar responses

“Finding effective vaccinations against the world’s biggest killers is a huge and pressing problem,” Laurent Castera, MD, PhD, EASL secretary-general, said in a press release. “This study shows for the first time that it is possible to generate simultaneous immune response against diseases HCV and HIV, raising the possibility of a combined vaccination.” Read more

Laurent Castera