AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, has announced breakthrough results in a study examining the effectiveness of its hepatitis C treatment regimen, which includes glecaprevir and pibrentasvir.

The study showed that the treatment achieved a 98 percent cure rate among patients with chronic hepatatis C.

The Study and Its Results

The study, known as the EXPEDITION-1 trial, involved 233 patients with hepatitis C, genotype 1, 4, 5, or 6, who had not previously been treated with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs).

The patients were given glecaprevir/pibrentasvir once a day for 12 weeks. After the treatment period was completed, 98 percent of patients had achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR).

The study also showed that the treatment regimen was well tolerated by patients, with no serious adverse events reported during the trial. According to Dr.

Jordan Feld, a hepatologist and researcher at Toronto Western Hospital, “These results demonstrate that glecaprevir/pibrentasvir can be effective in curing hepatitis C across a range of genotypes, with a high cure rate and a favorable safety profile.”.

The Importance of These Results

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can cause serious liver damage, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer.

The World Health Organization estimates that 71 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis C, and that the infection causes more than 399,000 deaths each year. Until recently, the standard treatment for hepatitis C involved interferon injections and ribavirin, which often had significant side effects and a relatively low cure rate.

However, the development of DAAs such as glecaprevir/pibrentasvir has revolutionized the treatment of hepatitis C, allowing for shorter treatment periods, fewer side effects, and higher cure rates.

AbbVie’s announcement of the 98 percent cure rate achieved in the EXPEDITION-1 trial is therefore a significant breakthrough in the fight against hepatitis C, particularly for patients with difficult-to-treat genotypes.

The Future of Hepatitis C Treatment

The results of the EXPEDITION-1 trial are a promising development for the future of hepatitis C treatment.

Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir is already approved for use in the United States and Europe, and these latest results may help expand the use of the treatment to a wider range of patients worldwide. In addition, AbbVie and other biopharmaceutical companies are continuing to research and develop new treatments for hepatitis C, with the goal of ultimately finding a cure for this potentially life-threatening infection.

The Bottom Line

The new study results from AbbVie are a significant breakthrough in the treatment of hepatitis C.

The glecaprevir/pibrentasvir regimen achieved a 98 percent cure rate among previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C, offering hope and relief to millions of people living with the disease worldwide. With further research and development, even more effective treatments for hepatitis C may be on the horizon.