AIDS 2014AbbVie’s “3D” regimen has shown high cure rates in treating genotype 1 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among those coinfected with HIV, both with and without cirrhosis, aidsmap reports. Interim findings from the randomized, open-label TURQUOISE-I study of 12 or 24 weeks of the regimen were presented at the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) in Melbourne, Australia.

A total of 63 HIV-positive participants who had genotype 1 of hep C were evenly divided to receive the 3D regimen for 12 or 24 weeks. The 3D regimen consists of the fixed-dose combination of the protease inhibitor ABT-450 and ritonavir co-formulated with the NS5A inhibitor ombitasvir (ABT-267), as well the non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor dasabuvir (ABT-333), either with or without ribavirin (in this case ribavirin was used).

Ninety-four percent of those in the 12-week group achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure). Not all of those in the 24-week arm have yet made it 12 weeks past finishing therapy. Ninety-seven percent of them achieved an SVR4, which is a strong predictor of an ultimate cure. Out of 20 participants in this arm who did pass the 12-week mark post-therapy, 95 percent of them had achieved an SVR12.

All the participants had a suppressed HIV viral load and were taking an antiretroviral regimen including Reyataz (atazanavir) or Isentress (raltegravir). Safety testing before the study had shown that there are no adverse drug-drug interactions between those drugs or Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) and the 3D regimen. The ritonavir in the hep C regimen does act as a booster for Reyataz.

The 3D regimen proved generally safe and well tolerated. There were no serious side effects or discontinuations as a result of side effects. The most common included fatigue, insomnia, nausea and headache, most of which were mild or moderate.

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