Abstract
ABSTRACT
Simeprevir is an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor with antiviral activity against HCV genotypes 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. Simeprevir (SMV) has been approved for the treatment of genotype 1 and 4 patients in combination with PEGylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) or other direct antiviral agents. SMV plus PEG-IFN/RBV for 12 weeks in naive patients and prior relapsers with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 or 4, followed by 12 additional weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV has yielded high efficacy rates. In IFN-free therapy, SMV combined with other antiviral drugs such as sofosbuvir achieved highly sustained virologic response rates in treatment-naive and experienced patients with HCV genotype 1 infection. SMV is generally well tolerated. SMV represents an important advance in the treatment of hepatitis C.
Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest
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