Sixteen weeks of Merck’s experimental regimen MK-3682B (MK-3682/grazoprevir/ruzasvir), known as MK-3, plus ribavirin cured hepatitis C virus (HCV) among almost all those in a small trial who failed a previous cure attempt with other Merck regimens.

Researchers presented findings from Part C of the C-CREST 1 & 2 studies at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Boston.

The study included 24 participants who had failed triple-combo regimens of MK-3682 and grazoprevir plus either ruzasvir or elbasvir. Two of them had genotype 1 of hep C, 14 had genotype 2 and eight had genotype 3.

One person with genotype 2 stopped treatment after one dose because of drug-related serious adverse health events. The remaining 23 participants achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure).

The most common adverse events among all participants were headache (33 percent), fatigue (25 percent), nausea (25 percent), rash (21 percent) and insomnia (21 percent).

To read a press release about the study, click here.