Direct-Acting Anti-HCV Therapy After Previous NS5A-Based Regimen Failure

The next-generation, direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection should address the most-difficult-to-treat patient subpopulations, such as those who have failed previous NS5A-based regimens. The current two industry-funded phase II studies assess the safety and efficacy of a once-daily, fixed-dose triple regimen of grazoprevir (GRZ), an NS3/4A protease inhibitor; ruzasvir (RUZ), a pan-genotypic NS5A inhibitor; and uprifosbuvir (UPF), an NS5B inhibitor; in this population.

First, among 49 genotype-1-infected patients (43% with compensated cirrhosis and 5% co-infected with HIV) receiving GRZ/RUZ/UPF therapy for 24 weeks, all achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks posttreatment (SVR1…