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Discontinuation of Telaprevir Expected in October
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals expects to discontinue sales of its protease inhibitor telaprevir for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection by October, according to a company spokesperson.
Telaprevir (Incivek) was approved by the FDA in May 2011 for the treatment of adults with HCV, with a recommended treatment duration of 12 weeks. It was approved for use in combination with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin in patients with genotype 1 infection who had not received previous treatment or who had failed previous treatment.
“The primary reason for the decision was the continued, significant decline in the number of people starting treatment with Incivek, following the recent approval and anticipated arrival of new medicines for hepatitis C. A letter was sent to health care providers regarding this information,” Zachry A. Barber, director of corporate communications at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, told HCV Next.
Approximately 65,000 people in the United States are currently prescribed telaprevir, according to the company website. Patients currently using the drug will not be affected by the discontinuation, according to Barber.
The sale and distribution of telaprevir will cease in October and the drug will not be available in pharmacies after Oct. 16. If patients are on the medicine as of that date, or between now and Oct. 16, they will be able to complete their treatment course, Barber said.