Any new news about drugs on the horizon?

[Larrymoe52]

In a nutshell, found I had the hep at the VA, they treated me for free 1) the first time just interferon and ribavirin 2)the second time recombinant interferon and ribavirin  3) the third time with bocepravir, pegylated interferon, and ribavirin  4) the fourth time with sofosbuvir, pegylated interferon, and ribavirin.  With the sofosbuvir I was undetectable after four weeks.  After 8 weeks.  At the end of the 12 weeks.  Just got the results of the 1 month after treatment bloodwork....and yes the sob is back in the hood again.  I'm 61 years old and these treatments are really beating me up.  I'm ready to wave the white flag.  Maybe.  Has anyone heard of any new meds on the horizon?  God help me in ten years when all the long term effects from these new drugs raise their ugly head.  Better make it five years.

[Livelife777]

Great response for Larry.  We are on the brink of eradicating this disease, and finally no one will have to suffer the devastating effects of this Hep C virus.  What wonderful news you have shared.
Thanks and wish you lottsa success and good results on this trial.
...Kim

[mac790]

Larrymoe, This is Curly. Actually, mac790. Just hang in there buddy, Merck, Gilead, ALL of the Big Pharma have 1 pill a day tx for CHC w&w/o cirrhosis in the pipeline. No more interferon, no more RBV. I am lucky enough to be in a Phase III trial of a Merck combo med. Two meds in 1 pill. After 7 pills, I had a viral load drop of 99.9%. The projected SVR after 12 weeks of this tx is 97%+, whether or not you are cirrhotic. I hope your exposure to all of the varied meds have not altered any response you will have to these new meds. It says in the consent forms for my trial "it may effect how you respond to future CHC tx". This med I'm on is in Phase III, end date of the trial is 6/15. If the total viral eradication rates hold up a year after coming up as "not detectable", I'm guessing the FDA will fast track the release of the drug. As I said, there are other meds in various stages of trials, and I would expect a healthy competition of 1 pill a day, 12 week long tx, guaranteed cure for CHC meds by 2016. This number of meds will force the price down, and with over 3 million people in the USA w/CHC, Medicare and the big insurance companies will also bargain the price down. Being a vet, I hope this is costing you nothing. Thank you for your service to this great country of ours, and good luck. Hang in there, help is coming, and coming fast.   Mac

[nan535]

So sorry you have gone through so much to try to get rid of this insidious virus.  I can imagine how upset you are right about now.  Given your prior failures to clear with interferon and ribavirin based treatments, I'm surprised they put you on another one. Makes no sense to me.

What is your genotype? There are  definitely new treatments in the pipeline that are interferon and ribavirin free that should give you hope for the future.

Hang in there!
Nan