Adjunctive Telaprevir Boosts Response in Chronic HCV

Major Finding: Adding telaprevir to standard peginterferon-plus-ribavirin therapy yielded a sustained virologic response rate of approximately 65% in retreated patients and approximately 75% in treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV. In treatment-naive patients, adding telaprevir allowed the course of therapy to be shortened by half.

Data Source: Separate phase III, randomized, controlled clinical trials, one assessing telaprevir as retreatment and the other assessing it in treatment-naive patients.

Disclosures: Both studies were funded by Tibotec and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which both manufacture telaprevir. Dr. Zeuzem and Dr. Jacobson reported ties to Tibotec and Vertex, as well as to numerous other industry sources.