Boceprevir for Previously Treated Chronic HCV Genotype 1 Infection

A total of 403 patients were treated. The rate of sustained virologic response was significantly higher in the two boceprevir groups (group 2, 59%; group 3, 66%) than in the control group (21%, P<0.001). Among patients with an undetectable HCV RNA level at week 8, the rate of sustained virologic response was 86% after 32 weeks of triple therapy and 88% after 44 weeks of triple therapy. Among the 102 patients with a decrease in the HCV RNA level of less than 1 log 10 IU per milliliter at treatment week 4, the rates of sustained virologic response were 0%, 33%, and 34% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Anemia was significantly more common in the boceprevir groups than in the control group, and erythropoietin was adminis­ tered in 41 to 46% of boceprevir­treated patients and 21% of controls. Conclusions The addition of boceprevir to peginterferon–ribavirin resulted in significantly higher rates of sustained virologic response in previously treated patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, as compared with peginterferon– ribavirin alone. (Funded by Scher­ ing­Plough [now Merck]; HCV RESPOND­2 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00708500.)