Pharmacokinetics of new oral hepatitis C antiviral drugs

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 175 million people worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), representing 3% of the total world population. Until recently, the only available therapeutic option for these patients was the combination of pegylated IFN-α plus ribavirin that overall resulted in HCV eradication in less than a half of cases. The development of new therapies with greater efficacy has been eagerly awaited but new challenges have emerged, with drug interactions being among the most challenging.

AREAS COVERED: This review updates the main pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the most promising new oral direct-acting antivirals (DAA) for hepatitis C. Given that a large proportion of chronic hepatitis C patients receive other medications, drug interactions are further discussed.

EXPERT OPINION: The recent approval of the first HCV genotype 1 protease inhibitors is a landmark step in the fight against the HCV pandemic. The benefit of higher rates of response along with shorter duration of treatment is counterbalanced by significant drug interactions and unprecedented complexities in the use of these drugs and management of their side effects. The knowledge of key pharmacologic parameters of distinct DAA is important for care providers in charge of chronic hepatitis C patients as it will avoid the danger of unexpected drug interactions. This concern must be particularly emphasized in special group populations, such as in HIV-HCV coinfected individuals and transplant patients, in whom interactions between DAA and antiretrovirals or immunosuppressants, respectively, are frequent.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2013

Erschienen:

2013

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:9

Enthalten in:

Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology - 9(2013), 1 vom: 08. Jan., Seite 5-16

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Vispo, Eugenia [VerfasserIn]
Barreiro, Pablo [VerfasserIn]
Soriano, Vicente [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

49717AWG6K
Antiviral Agents
Interferon-alpha
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Ribavirin

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 17.10.2013

Date Revised 21.11.2013

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1517/17425255.2013.729577

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM222075228