Is velpatasvir\/sofosbuvir the endgame for HCV? And what will HCV researchers do now? https:\/\/t.co\/vL2A9FOttR<\/a> @NEJM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Paul Sax (@PaulSaxMD) November 18, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n To which I got this reply from one of our very energetic second-year ID fellows:<\/p>\n @PaulSaxMD<\/a> @NEJM<\/a> what about coinfected patients, drug interactions?<\/p>\n \u2014 Philip Lederer (@philiplederer) November 18, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n OK, OK, I know what you’re wondering — don’t you two have anything better to do than fool around with a financially struggling<\/a>\u00a0social media platform?<\/p>\n Sure we do — but after years and years of “not getting” Twitter, I now (thanks to Phil) see some of the benefits, namely the rapid exchange of information and ideas, in a particularly efficient form.<\/p>\n But back to the topic at hand, which is the HCV regimen used in these latest studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine<\/em>.<\/a>\u00a0 All include\u00a0the pan-genotypic NS5A inhibitor velpatasvir with the already-approved nucleotide sofosbuvir, given as \u00a0a single pill once daily.<\/p>\n Results? Outstanding:<\/p>\n The results really\u00a0make you wonder what more we can do to make HCV treatment better. We are definitely at the flat part of the So are there remaining issues? Yes, sort\u00a0of — but none of them is as pressing as the\u00a0obligatory elephants in the room, which are cost and access.<\/a> Let’s start with Phil’s proposed challenges,\u00a0plus a few\u00a0others:<\/p>\n So what about the second part of that tweet?<\/p>\n And what will HCV researchers do now?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
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<\/a>response curve, and fortunately it has plateaued\u00a0way up there, with 95% or higher cure rates for all but the sickest HCV patients, along with exceedingly rare\u00a0adverse effects.<\/p>\n\n