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Consensus Interferon in Hepatitis C Is an Option for Those Non-Responsive to Peginterferon/Ribavrin: Presented at AASLD

By Maria Bishop

BOSTON, MA -- November 7, 2007 -- In a recent retrospective study of veterans, 12% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) subjects remained HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) undetectable at least 3 months post-treatment with consensus interferon (Infergen) following prior treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin, researchers reported here at the 58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD).

Treatment-naïve veterans fared better, with 24% remaining HCV RNA undetectable at least 3 months post-treatment with consensus interferon, noted lead author Helen S. Yee, PharmD, Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacy Service, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States.

These data offer an alternative for patients who are nonresponders/relapsers to peginterferon plus ribavirin. At least 50% of chronic HCV patients who receive standard therapy are nonresponders to treatment, added Dr. Yee.

Seven-hundred seventy-six of the hepatitis C patients who were reviewed for this study had been prescribed consensus interferon with ribavirin (99.7%) or without ribavirin in the VA health care system from October 2003 to October 2006. Treatment duration varied significantly between prescribers, and over 57% of the patients in this study discontinued consensus interferon within less than 3 months of starting treatment. The mean treatment duration averaged 3.1 months.

Data were reviewed for documentation of the following: HCV antiviral treatment history and response; time between HCV antiviral treatments; consensus interferon dose, frequency, and duration; and HCV RNA results. Demographic data were also included. The mean age of patients (95.4% of whom were male) was 55.4 ± 5.57 years. The average prior peginterferon treatment duration (n = 646) was 8.9 months.

"Factors associated with outcomes and consensus interferon [with or without ribavirin] -- such as dosing, length of treatment, and other practice variations -- need to be further assessed," concluded Dr. Yee.

This trial was funded in part by the VA National HIV/Hepatitis C Program and a grant from Valeant Pharmaceuticals, makers of Infergen.


[Presentation title: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Treatment Outcomes with Consensus Interferon with or without Ribavirin in Peginterferon/Ribavirin Non-responders/Relapsers: Results from National Clinical Practice Settings. Abstract 355]

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