What drugs are available to treat HCV?
Here are the medications available to treat hepatitis C, plus some helpful information about what to expect with their treatment.
- Ribavirin.
- Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs)
- Combination drugs.
- Ledipasvir-sofosbuvir (Harvoni)
- Elbasvir-grazoprevir (Zepatier)
- Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (Epclusa)
What is the target of the HCV drug Sofosbuvir?
Sofosbuvir, a recently approved nucleotide analog, is a highly potent inhibitor of the NS5B polymerase in the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and has shown high efficacy in combination with several other drugs, with and without PEG-INF, against HCV.
Which cluster of side effects are commonly found in HCV treatments?
What Are the Some of the Most Common Side Effects of Hepatitis C Medications?
- Fatigue.
- Headache.
- Skin reactions.
- Low red blood cell count.
- Gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain)
What is Sofosbuvir used for?
Sofosbuvir is used along with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere, others) and sometimes another medication (peginterferon alfa [Pegasys]) to treat certain types of chronic hepatitis C (an ongoing viral infection that damages the liver) in adults.
How does Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir work?
Sofosbuvir is in a class of antiviral medications called nucleotide polymerase inhibitors. It works by decreasing the amount of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the body. Ledipasvir is in a class of antiviral medications called HCV NS5A inhibitors.
What is the current treatment for Hep C?
Hepatitis C is treated using direct-acting antiviral (DAA) tablets. DAA tablets are the safest and most effective medicines for treating hepatitis C. They’re highly effective at clearing the infection in more than 90% of people. The tablets are taken for 8 to 12 weeks.
What is the cost of Epclusa?
The cost of Epclusa (sofosbuvir and velpatasvir) tablets is roughly $US78,078 for a full 12-week course of treatment. Your cost might vary based on insurance or manufacturer-provided discounts. Epclusa is covered by most insurance plans.