Simeprevir

Simeprevir, sold under the trade names Olysio among others, is a medication used in combination with other medications for the treatment of hepatitis C. It is specifically used for hepatitis C genotype 1 and 4. Medications it is used with include sofosbuvir or ribavirin and peginterferon-alfa. Cure rates are in 80s to 90s percent. It may be used in those who also have HIV/AIDS. It is taken by mouth once daily for typically 12 weeks. Simeprevir, sold under the trade names Olysio among others, is a medication used in combination with other medications for the treatment of hepatitis C. It is specifically used for hepatitis C genotype 1 and 4. Medications it is used with include sofosbuvir or ribavirin and peginterferon-alfa. Cure rates are in 80s to 90s percent. It may be used in those who also have HIV/AIDS. It is taken by mouth once daily for typically 12 weeks. Common side effects include feeling tired, headache, rash, itchiness, and sensitivity to sunlight. In those with previous hepatitis B infection, active disease may recur. It is not recommended in those with significant liver problems. During pregnancy when used with ribavirin it may cause harm to the baby while when used with sofosbuvir its safety is unclear. Simeprevir is a HCV protease inhibitor. Simeprevir was developed by Medivir AB and Janssen Pharmaceutica. It was approved for medical use in the United States in 2013. Simeprevir is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. It is not available as a generic medication as of 2015. In the United Kingdom a course of treatment with ribavirin and peginterferon-alfa cost about £29,700 in 2015. In the United States a course of treatment with sofosbuvir was more than US$171,000 in 2015 with the simeprevir component costing US$66,360. Simeprevir is indicated treating chronic hepatic C (CHC) infection as a part of a triple antiviral treatment regimen consisting of two other drugs: peginterferon-alfa (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). It is primarily effective in treating Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infected subjects with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis. There are currently no studies that show Simeprevir’s effectiveness as a single therapy for HCV. Simeprevir is generally used for HCV genotype 1 infected subjects, but off-label medical use has been indicated for type 4 genotype as well. Simeprevir is dosed along with peg-IFN and RBV as triple therapy. Appropriate dosing of Simeprevir is dependent upon the patient’s liver function, kidney function, viral load, and HCV genotype. This medication is not recommended for people with moderate or severe liver impairment and people with end-stage kidney disease since Simprevir was not studied for use in these patient populations. Simeprevir might be discontinued depending on their viral load. For instance, if the patient’s viral load is detectable (>25 units/mL) during the 4th week of their treatment regimen, it is considered an inadequate treatment and simeprevir must be discontinued. Any contraindications that apply to peg-IFN and RBV apply to simeprevir since they must be used in combination during treatment of CHC. For example, people with sickle cell anemia are contraindicated to RBV therapy and are therefore contraindicated to simeprevir and peg-IFN combination therapy. Pregnant women and men whose female partners are pregnant are contraindicated for simeprevir since peg-IFN and RBV are known to cause birth defects. Simeprevir is avoided in pregnant women or women planning to be pregnant because it going to be taken with RBV and Peg-IFN, which have both shown to cause fetal problems in animal studies. RBV has been shown to cause birth defects and fetal deaths in animal studies. Peg-IFN has been shown to cause abortions in animal studies. People must have a negative pregnancy test prior to starting therapy, use at least two effective birth control methods during treatment, and undergo monthly pregnancy tests. If pregnant women are exposed to any medication regimen containing ribavirin, they are encouraged to report this through the ribavirin pregnancy registry. Severe itching (22%), sensitivity to sunlight (5%), and rash (25%) are some of the common adverse effects of simeprevir. Other side effects may include nausea, muscle pain, difficulty breathing and increased bilirubin. It may reactivate hepatitis B in those who have been previously infected. In March 2015, Gilead Sciences e-mailed warnings to health care providers about nine people that began taking its hepatitis C drugs ledipasvir/sofosbuvir or sofosbuvir along with amiodarone, daclatasvir, or simeprevir developed abnormally slow heartbeats and one died of cardiac arrest. Three required a pacemaker to be inserted. Gilead said the combinations aren't recommended and product labels will be updated.