Ribavirin-Free, 12-Week DAA Regimens for HCV Recurrence After Liver Transplantation

The current recommended therapy for recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation is a combination of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) and ribavirin given for up to 24 weeks. However, whether a 12-week regimen without ribavirin might be equally effective is unclear.

In a multicenter prospective cohort study in Europe, researchers assessed the efficacy of sofosbuvir plus an NS5A inhibitor with or without ribavirin for durations of 12 or 24 weeks in liver transplant recipients with recurrent HCV infection. The primary outcome was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing treatment (SVR12).

Of the 512 patients included, 70% had genotype 1 HCV infection, 34% were treatment-experienced, and 21% had cirrh…