To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Peginterferon Alfa-2a Plus Ribavirin Safe and Effective In Patients With Both Hepatitis C and B: Presented at AASLD URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/216D12.htm Doctor's Guide November 7, 2007
By Maria Bishop BOSTON, MA -- November 7, 2007 -- Combination therapy of peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) and ribavirin (Copegus) appears to be safe and effective for treatment of patients dually infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), researchers reported here at the 58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD). Overall, 207 patients infected with HCV genotype 1 received 48 weeks of combination therapy with peginterferon alfa-2a 180 ug weekly plus daily ribavirin 1000-1200 mg, noted lead author Chun-Jen Liu, MD, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Non-1 genotype patients (n = 114) received a 24-week combination therapy of peginterferon alfa-2a 180 ug weekly plus daily ribavirin 800 mg. The primary efficacy parameter was sustained virological response (HCV ribonucleic acid [RNA] response) at 24 weeks post-treatment. A total of 26 patients were withdrawn early from the study, mainly due to non-compliance and skin lesions. In 85 of the most difficult-to-treat patients -- dually infected with HCV genotype 1 and HBV -- a sustained HCV clearance rate of 73% was achieved at 24 weeks post-treatment. In general, there was little difference between HCV response rates between genotype 1 and non-1 infected patients at end of treatment (72 weeks) and at 24 weeks. HBV virologic response was observed in 56% of the 161 patients with dual HCV/HBV infection. Importantly, HbsAg clearance was observed in 10% of these dually-infected patients, noted Dr. Liu, which is an important indicator of long-term treatment success. The majority of HCV genotype 1-infected patients with dual HCV/HBV infection achieved a biochemical response (62%) after 24 weeks of treatment-free follow-up, and an even higher rate of HCV clearance was achieved in HCV mono-infected patients (70%). [Presentation title: An Open Label, Comparative, Multicenter Study Of Peginterferon Alfa-2a Plus Ribavirin in The Treatment Of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C/Hepatitis B Co-Infection Versus Those With Chronic Hepatitis C Monoinfection. Abstract 233] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.