HCV-2 Study Results Show 85-90% SVR (?)

This may be of some interest to the Type 2's out there. First some background. 'goofydad' previously posted a link to a study peformed by Dr. Zeuzem and published in the Journal of Hepatology. The results were much more optimistic than other studies, so I sent an email to the study author asking for more info. The following is the email and Dr. Zeuzem's reply.  

Q: Having been recently diagnosed with HCV, genotype 2, I read with great interest your study abstract in the June 2004 Journal of Hepatology concerning Peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C in previously untreated patients infected with HCV genotypes 2 or 3. The study results indicate SVRs much higher than previous studies for 24 week or even 48 week treatment programs. Can you provide some insight for these results? I am very hopeful that the study may indicate some alternate dosing or methodology that my doctor could prescribe.
A: Several studies on GT 2 have been published. Probably even 12-16 weeks of peginterferon plus ribavirin are sufficient without compromising your chances to achieve a sustained virologic response, if you do not have liver cirrhosis. African American ethnicity and obesity may be other reasons to treat for 24 weeks. The chances for SVR are around 85-90%, full adherence to therapy anticipated. - Prof. Dr. S. Zeuzem

[Mister beagle bailey]

I to am a 2B and treated for 24 weeks and did everything right. However, I disagree with the DR's answer as after doing full treatment, being UND after finihing with a ALT of 13 and AST of 24 I still relapsed. There have been many 2's and 3's on the forum who have relapsed and it goes againist everything we have been lead to believe.  I also spend hours on the gov. site and found only 1 study on geno 2 and 3.  I believe their numbers are off and needs to be updated.  I disagree with the 80% -90% SVR for geno 2 and 3, and I'll bet others here feel the same way.

Sorry to come off like this, but I just found out Wed I relapsed.

Beagle

[SoCal Lady]

Did you have an early response to treatment (undetected at 4 weeks)?  This seems to be a predictor of SVR for genotype b's.  That, and the degree of fibrosis at the start of treatment.

I've seen several studies online that support a short treatment duration for geno B's who are UND at 4 weeks.  As a Geno B myself and UND at 4 weeks, I'm thinking of opting for 16 weeks of treatment.  I've only had 7 injections at this point, so I have a few months to see how things go, and to continue to look at the research.

Thank you, MadMick, for posting.  I'll be making a big decision, and I need to be aware of the most recent research and medical opinions...

[sfbaygirl]

So Sorry to hear about your relapse. YUCK! That has to be so hard to hear. I agree with you about 2's and 3's. I think as NY says, there is not enough studies out there that are current. One study, does not make a 80-90% true.

Hope you are doing okay. Are you going to wait for new drugs? What is the plan?

[MadMick]

I read about your terrible news in another thread. I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine how it must have felt when you found out.

As for myself, I'm just starting down the tx path, and I've been reading these threads with great interest. Some of these stories are real eye openers. The ones about relapsing are almost the worst. The ones about cirrhosis ARE the worst.

I agree that more studies need to be done, but aren't most of the studies funded by the drug companies? What would be their incentive for performing a special study? I think there's little hope there. Maybe the Government will do more studies (and maybe little green monkeys will fly out of my butt too).

You said that you have been reading about some study on types 2 & 3 at a Gov site. I'd like to find that info, can you give me the link?    

[SoCal Lady]

Oops!  I should have noted that I am a 2b in my post above...

[copyman]

could it be that the 2 & 3 strains of virus are getting stronger and resistent to tx? just a thought

[Mister beagle bailey]

Here is the web-site www.clinicalTrial.gov, and www.clinicaltrail.gove/ct/action/changeQuery and www.cdc.gove/mmrw/preview/mmwrhtm/rr5203a1.htm.

There was another one but I can't find it.

Hope this helps.

Beagle

[Mister beagle bailey]

Not only was I a 2B with a VL of 318,000 but I also was a grade 1 and stage 0.  All this makes no sense to me.  No, I didn't have a PCR at week 4 only week 12 and then at week 23 before stopping tx.

Beagle

[Mister beagle bailey]

I know what you meant, no more riba for me too.  I was on riba 800, 60,000 units of procrit every 5 days and still my HGB dropped as low as 6.1, so this new drug coming out sounds really good.  I can't wait to hear how your numbers are post tx.  You must be nerves and I can't blame you.
You and I had almost the same stats, I await you results and know this time you'll be SVR.

Beagle

[rochammer]

Mister beagle bailey

Just for the record on the first round I was undetected at week 12 (they did not do a 4 week) and at 5 weeks post tx. This round they did the 4-week was undetected

But I am still with you on thinking that the 4-week is a good sign but does not really have all that much meaning as a predictor .My alt & alt were 20 & 21 within less than 4 weeks probably undetected week 4

I am also with you on being mad about the relapse. Not so much that I relapsed but the odds I was given were so far off. Some where in the Pegasys or peg-intron prescribing information from the original clinical trials the odds for 2& 3 is listed as 60 % It was a PDF file I don

[Pdilly]

Hang in there.  I can't even imagine the dissapointment you have been through.  I mean everyone wants to get rid of the beast.  How has Susan handled it after one defeat and another?  I don't know but its scary to say the least.  DO hang in there as your numbers are low and maybe something better will come alone in a year or so.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Rock, I agree with you.  I don't know where they get these numbers from on 2's and 3's.  I just applied for the final trial of Viramidine, it takes the place of riba and doesn't affect the HGB.
Pdilly and rock, I'm still angry about what I was lead to believe and others are being mislead too.  It would seem these Drs are hand picking those for their trials to make their numbers look good and the trials are ran by the drug co., so you know they what their drug to look good.

Beagle

[rochammer]

Beagle

Hope you get in the trial for Viramidine for people like us the riba is really rat poison.  Even at 800 epo just keeps my HGB ok but no energy no real life any more. I am really beginning to wonder if a dose reduction of riba and a longer tx would work just as well. I know a lot of people think higher dose riba and or and higher dose of peg-intron is better. I think that if you can treat with viramidine and peg for a longer time you might do better Beginning to think it is the time on tx that is more important than the dose as long as the dose get us clear on tx. Lets face it if the drug did not cost so much and the sides were not bad we would all be on tx for 2 or 3 years. Hope the study thing works out for you. I have 2 weeks left on tx

[Mister beagle bailey]

I don't think the 4 week PCR holds water as rockhammer was UND at week 4 and 24 and still relapsed.  Go figure.

Beagle

[Mister beagle bailey]

Don't worry, everything will turn out fine.  Can't wait to hear what the dr has to say.

Beagle :)

[Paris47]

Scared to death to meet new dr.
and get the word of what is next step.
Hopefully , will be ok enough to sign on
computer this evening.

[Paris47]

Yea, couldn't wait to get home & tell everyone
that new dr is great, pro active & actually likes
to be informative about my condition, which is
'non-detectable' at this time. Yet need to have additional
test for low white blood count & then follow up, and he
feels very positive. We discussed this forum, my research,
ha ha ha...and he felt I did a good job with my knowledge, I
need to thank all of you here, otherwise I wouldn't know a
thing about my liver!!
so, I guess at this point...so far....so good...
still fatigued, hair half in, half out, but spirits
good, my daughter went to the dr with me. And to top it off
the nurse at the new hep c dr office, was the 'old' receptionists at my psychiatrists drs office, I felt so at home!!!!
More later, need to make music cd's with my daughter.