People who import generic hepatitis C virus (HCV) drugs for personal use can still achieve the high cure rates seen in clinical trials, aidsmap reports.
Researchers examined cure rates among a group of 448 people who imported generic HCV drugs to their home countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Nigeria and nations in the European Union.
Findings were presented at the 52nd International Liver Congress in Amsterdam.
About half the individuals were treated with the generic equivalent of Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) while another approximate half received the generic equivalent of Daklinza (daclatasvir) and Sovaldi (sofosbuvir). A small number of people added ribavirin to their regimen. About 1 percent of the overall group took sofosbuvir and ribavirin.
The medications were manufactured in India or Bangladesh.
Ninety percent of the participants achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure). Just two individuals were lost to follow-up.
Cure rates varied by genotype and were: 91 percent (275 of 301) for those with genotype 1, 100 percent (28 of 28) for those with genotype 2, 82 percent (83 of 1010) for those with genotype 3, 91 percent for those with genotype 4 (10 of 11), and 100 percent (7 of 7) for those with genotypes 5 or 6.
Those who had cirrhosis at the study’s outset were 1.92 times more likely to fail hep C treatment.
To read the aidsmap article, click here.
