VIDEO: Pangenotypic regimen leads to high SVR in all HCV genotypes

BOSTON — In this exclusive video at The Liver Meeting, Tom Podsadecki, head of antiviral research and development at AbbVie, discusses high sustained virologic response rates among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, after treatment with AbbVie’s new pangenotypic regimen of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, and plans for future clinical development.

“We designed our next generation pangenotypic program to address two areas: to identify a faster path to cure for the majority of patients chronically infected with HCV, including those who are new to treatment and those who don’t have advanced liver disease such as cirrhosis, and the other key area is to address patients with unmet medical needs with current therapies, such as those with chronic kidney disease,” Podsadecki said.

According to Podsadecki, the pangenotypic regimen yielded high SVR rates across all HCV genotypes after only 8 weeks of therapy. Overall, SVR rates were 97.5%. In patients with HCV genotype 1, 99% achieved SVR after 8 weeks of therapy, according to Podsadecki. In genotypes 2, 4, 5 and 6, 97% showed SVR as well. Patients with HCV genotype 3 are the most difficult-to-treat patient population, according to Podsadecki; however, 95% of patients with this type of infection achieved SVR with this regimen.

“When moving forward with clinical development addressing these 2 key areas — identifying shorter path to cure and to address unmet medical needs — we plan to submit for approval in the U.S. before the end of year which will allow us to bring new important therapies to market in 2017.”

Disclosure: Podsadecki is employed by AbbVie.