Paul Targett-Adams, Principal Scientist at Medivir AB

“4. Summary.

Professor Pawlotsky concluded the meeting with a closing summary talk in which he commented favourably upon the >90% SVR rates we are now seeing but was critical of the very small patient numbers used in many of the studies. Patient cohorts containing as few as 10 ‘ideal’ individuals provide limited opportunity for extrapolation to a real-world setting where HCV-infected patients are often co-infected with HIV or HBV and exhibit varying degrees of liver diseases. He added, “Studies must be powered to be conclusive, percentages (SVR) cannot be interpreted without their 95% confidence intervals, statistical differences must be achieved to support statements of superiority”. Professor Pawlotsky was also critical of the generic statement heard so often at this meeting in relation to clinical evaluation of new therapeutic regimens “….demonstrated high efficacy and a good safety profile”. This is clearly not good enough; safety profiles need to investigated and reported thoroughly, particularly considering the shock news that alisporivir (a host-targeted antiviral specific for cyclophilin A; a cellular factor required for HCV to replicate, currently in Phase III evaluation) has been placed on clinical hold by the FDA following 6 reported cases of acute pancreatitis, including 1 fatality. So to conclude, when can we say ‘goodbye’ to interferon-based regimens? Certainly not quite yet, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that all-oral interferon-free treatments will prevail in the not too distant future. However, the ideal drug combination has yet to be found and treatment duration (and DAA composition) will vary according to patient groups. We are still rather far away from a single once-daily pill that can cure all HCV-infected patients regardless of their particular stratification. Professor Pawlotsky concluded the meeting by stating “large-scale clinical trials are needed to establish reliable efficacy and safety profiles” – I think we can all agree with this particular sentiment.”

Read the entire article here:

http://gastrohep.tv/easl-2012/?goback=%2Egde_3207213_member_120124593

“Hepatitis C ‘Switch’ Offers Target for New Drug Research

Viral Scientists have discovered a “switch” in the hepatitis C virus which could be used as a target for new kinds of drug treatment. Hepatitis C affects more than 170 million people worldwide, but current combination treatment is only effective against a limited range of this naturally highly variable virus. However, according to new research by the University of Warwick, the newly discovered SL9266 ‘switch’ is very highly conserved and present in all hepatitis C viruses, meaning this offers a good starting point for further research into an across-the-board treatment.

This region represents a vulnerable spot for attacking and clearing the virus from the body as it controls a critical event in the earliest stages of the virus lifecycle. It seems the switch modulates the mutually incompatible translation and replication processes that must occur for the virus to spread inside the body.”

Read more here:

http://viralmatters.blogspot.com/2012/05/sl9266-switch-in-hepatitis-c-

HCV research is rapidly progressing. If you fall in the low risk category and your disease is on hold, you may be able to wait until getting treated. Of course, this is a judgement call. Read more here:

http://viralmatters.blogspot.com/2012/05/ddw-hcv-patients-may-be-able-to-delay

Scientists  have been able to stimulate the liver to produce hepatocytes. Continued research in this area should in turn lead to new drugs to perform this function and therefore, drastically reduce the demand for liver transplants.

http://www.independent.ie/health/health-news/breakthrough-could-lead-to-cure-for-chronic-liver-disease-3039443.html?trkv=4863917&trks=4691761

Obama’s 2013 budget request proposed a 10.8% cut to direct international aid for HIV programmes under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) which, together with previous cuts, would slice more than US$1 billion from the fund’s 2010 level. http://www.nature.com/news/cuts-hamper-bid-to-tackle-aids-1.10173

Is this good news or bad news? Last fall, HCV-related deaths in the U.S. surpassed HIV/AIDs-related deaths (about 15,000 deaths vs. 13,000). Massive amounts of money poured into AIDs research and international assistance have made a huge impact on the spread and treatment of HIV/AIDs. Deaths from other diseases, such as HCV, have meanwhile continued to surge. Will this budget cut mean a shift in funding in favor of the other diseases? Or will it just mean that less money is available period for disease research and treatment?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216095040.htm

Combination of Oral Drugs Suppress Hep C in University of Michigan Study

This study was conducted by Dr. Anna Lok, whom The Greenview Hepatitis C Fund supports.

“In this pilot study, patients with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection, who had not responded to previous treatment with PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin, were given a combination of two investigational direct-acting antiviral agents (daclatasvir and asunaprevir) alone, or were given these two antiviral agents along with PEG-interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin.”

“Although only four of 11 patients given the two direct-acting antiviral agents only achieved sustained virologic response, this is the first study to show that sustained virologic response can be achieved without the use of interferon or ribavirin.”

Read the entire article here:

http://www.uofmhealth.org/news/drug-combination-suppresses-hepatitis-c

Having trouble with health care costs? Here’s a guide that may help you:

http://go.liverfoundation.org/site/DocServer/financial_resources.pdf?docID=5522

Ok. We give up! The news on HCV research  is coming out way to fast and furious for us to deal with. Hepatitis Central has a much bigger staff to be able to handle this, so we are directing you to their free newsletter (and website) for any future news on HCV.

http://www.hepatitis-central.com/list.html

We will be concentrating on fund raising for even more HCV research. If  you haven’t visited our website, here is our Mission statement :

“In the past two years, the agency’s(FDA) lower levels of approvals—21 drugs in 2010 and 25 in 2009—caused concern throughout the industry and in Congress. We may feel grateful to FDA, but we also should ask how the agency achieved this high number of approvals.

Read more here