The researchers suggest these findings could help simplify treatment algorithms and reduce treatment burden.
According to a commentary, efficacy of these new treatments is minimally better than that of the already available drug combinations, and the only relevant advantage of coformulated glecaprevir and pibrentasvir compared with ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and dasabuvir is that patients have to take three tablets instead of four; and ribavirin is not needed in patients with genotype 1a infection.
It notes that price will probably dictate which drug will be paid for by third-party payers but from the prescriber’s perspective, the best solution would be that all drugs cost the same and the prescriber has the option of choosing the best treatment for the patient. It suggests coformulated glecaprevir and pibrentasvir and sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir will most likely be used to treat non-response to or relapse after first-line treatment. It concludes that “optimal use of these drugs will depend on them being accessible to infected patients worldwide, and receiving high priority on the political agenda.”
Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir, marketed under the trade name Maviret, was recently launched in UK, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in adults (all genotypes), but is currently only available via individual funding request route.