Chemistry:Direct-acting antivirals
Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) is a term used for the combination of antiviral drugs used to treat hepatitis C infections. They are more effective than older treatments such as ribavirin and interferon. The DAA drugs are taken orally, as tablets, for 8 to 12 weeks.[1] The treatment depends on the type or types (genotypes) of hepatitis C virus that are causing the infection.[2] Both during and at the end of treatment, blood tests are used to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment and subsequent cure.[1] The DAA combination drugs used include:[3]
- Harvoni (sofosbuvir and ledipasvir)
- Epclusa (sofosbuvir and velpatasvir)
- Vosevi (sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir)
- Zepatier (elbasvir and grazoprevir)
- Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir)
DAAs were approved on the basis of a surrogate endpoint called "Sustained virological Response" or SVR.[4] Although SVR is widely marketed as a functional "cure," its validity for predicting clinical outcomes (liver disease. extending life) has been challenged,[5][6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Overview-Hepatitis C". National Health Service, UK. 21 June 2018. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-c/.
- ↑ "New approaches in the treatment of hepatitis C". World Journal of Gastroenterology 22 (4): 1421–32. January 2016. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i4.1421. PMID 26819511.
- ↑ "Oral Direct-Acting Agent Therapy for Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Systematic Review". Annals of Internal Medicine 166 (9): 637–648. May 2017. doi:10.7326/M16-2575. PMID 28319996.
- ↑ "Table of Surrogate Endpoints That Were the Basis of Drug Approval or Licensure". Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/development-resources/table-surrogate-endpoints-were-basis-drug-approval-or-licensure.
- ↑ "SVR does not equate to a cure in HCV". https://www.healio.com/news/hepatology/20160413/expert-svr-does-not-equate-to-a-cure-in-hcv.
- ↑ Koretz, Ronald (2015). "Is Widespread Screening for Hepatitis C Justified?". British Medical Journal 350: g7809. doi:10.1136/bmj.g7809. PMID 25587052. https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.g7809.
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