HEPATITIS C

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionized the therapeutic landscape. With cure rates of 95%, these 8-to-12-week oral treatments have replaced less effective, injection-based 48-week regimens associated with side effects.

However, their price is a major barrier to access, even in high-income countries, so treatment rationing is common. Prices are also too high for countries to implement strategies that seek to identify asymptomatic people living with HCV, and “test-and-treat” strategies that could lead towards elimination.

A simple (i.e. that works for all patients, including those who are also living with HIV or inject drugs), pan-genotypic (i.e. effective for all genotypes), and affordable treatment would benefit many, particularly in countries unable to access generic HCV treatments.

Together with Egyptian manufacturer Pharco, DNDi has partnered with the Malaysian and Thai governments to test an affordable pan-genotypic combination therapy containing the drug candidate ravidasvir. Interim results released in April 2018 show a 97% cure rate, and promising results even in the hardest-to- treat cases.

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted through exposure to infected blood
• 55-85% of patients develop chronic infection, and of these, 15-30% are at risk of cirrhosis of the liver within 20 years
• HCV has six genotypes (GT), with GT1 most prevalent in the US, for example, and GT6 in South-East Asia
• Effective medicines are available, but their extremely high cost means that only 13% of HCV patients globally have had access to treatment