Results from a small study of 100 co-infected people treated with Victrelis + pegylated interferon + ribavirin showed that 61% had undetectable viral loads at 12 weeks after stopping their hepatitis C treatment.
All study participants were given pegylated interferon + ribavirin for the first 4 weeks of treatment. About 2/3 had Victrelis added to their regimen for the next 44 weeks while the other third continued on pegylated interferon + ribavirin alone. Nearly all participants were on a boosted protease inhibitor HIV regimen.
The average age of the participants was 44, and 31% were women. Most people had high HCV viral loads, while 5% had cirrhosis. Nearly 65% had HCV genotype 1a while the others had 1b. CD4 counts averaged 580 and all had undetectable HIV viral load.
The following chart describes 12-week post-treatment undetectable HCV viral loads (B/PR = Victrelis + pegylated interferon + ribavirin):
| Undetectable HCV | B/PR | PR |
| 4 wks | 4.7% | 8.8% |
| 8 wks | 37.5% | 14.7% |
| 12 wks | 56.5% | 25.0% |
| 24 wks | 70.5% | 34.4% |
| 48 wks | 65.6% | 29.4% |
| 12 wks post | 60.7% | 26.5% |
The following details should be noted about this study:
- Two people saw their HCV return after being undetectable at week 48.
- HIV viral loads became detectable in 3 people taking Victrelis.
- CD4 counts tended to decrease in everyone; however, the CD4% did not change.
- High rates of side effects were seen in the Victrelis group, including bad taste (28%), vomiting (28%), diarrhea (28%), anemia (41%), fever (36%), headache (23%), appetite loss (34%) and fatigue (36%). Serious anemia occurred in 5% and low neutrophil counts (27%).
A larger study will start enrolling by the end of the year.