AbbVie’s interferon- and ribavirin-free combination therapy of ABT-450/r and ABT-267 cured 90 to 95 percent of people with genotype 1b of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a recent study. Representatives from the pharmaceutical company presented findings from two arms of the PEARL-1 Phase IIb trial at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Washington, DC.

Forty-two treatment-naive participants and 40 prior null responders to treatment received the NS3/4A protease inhibitor ABT-450/r, which is co-dosed with low-dose ritonavir, and the NS5A inhibitor ABT-267. Participants continued treatment for 12 weeks.

Ninety-five percent (40/42) of the treatment-naive participants and 90 percent (36/40) of the prior null responders achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR, considered a cure) 12 weeks after completing treatment. The two participants in the treatment-naive arm who did not achieve an SVR were lost to follow-up. In the null responder arm, three participants relapsed and one experienced a viral breakthrough.

The regimen proved generally well tolerated, with no discontinuations because of adverse side effects.

To read a release on the study, click here.