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PBM Reports High Hepatitis C Cure Rates With Harvoni Treatment
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Prime Therapeutics reports more than 94% of patients who completed at last 8 weeks of treatment with Harvoni were cleared of HCV.
Prime Therapeutics recently announced that nearly 100% of their members who completed 8 or more weeks of Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) were cured of hepatitis C virus (HCV). The cure rate discovered by the pharmacy benefit manager is similar to the 94% to 99% rate found in clinical trials, according to a press release.
These data will be presented by Prime at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s 2017 Annual Meeting.
Included in the study were 311 patients with HCV administered at least 8 weeks of treatment with Harvoni. Treatment duration for Harvoni varies based on HCV genotype and cirrhosis status, according to Gilead. Study participants also were given a sustained virologic response (SVR) test between 12 and 24 weeks after finishing Harvoni to determine response to treatment.
The investigators discovered that 301 patients had a SVR test result that indicated a cure. The cure rate of 96.8% was deemed significant, and provides hope for patients seeking a cure for HCV, according to the release.
Harvoni is indicated to treat patients with HCV genotypes 1, 4, 5, or 6, which highlights its widespread use. The drug can also be used in patients with or without cirrhosis, depending on the genotype and previous treatments. Harvoni is also prescribed in combination with the anti-viral ribavirin in some patients.
“Prime’s real-world data reflect findings from clinical trials. Our members who received at least 8 weeks of Harvoni through Prime Therapeutics Specialty Pharmacy had a very high likelihood of being cured of this disease,” said Cathy Starner, PharmD, principal health outcomes researcher at Prime.
