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Avatar universal

Incevik vs. Victrelis

Soon I will start triple therapy using one of the above anti-virals and I'm doing some serious thinking about which way to go.  Eight years ago when I took the SOC I was told that Pegasys, which was relatively new then was better than the Peg intron which had been available for some time.  I was also told by my doctor who was treating a large number of patients at his clinic that he had observed that the Pegasys was more easily tolerated than the other drug.  

Since then I have heard that the performance of the two different pegylated interferons is about the same with the Genotype 1-a patients though it probably is easier for most people to tolerate the Pegasys.

I'm wondering if there is any unbiased data that would point to a higher success rate for  people like me?  I posted my medical stuff on my profile and it shows that I am at best a "weak" responder because I had a significant viral breakthrough at 24 weeks even though I was undetectable at 48 weeks.  

Years ago I heard that the Vertex drug, Incevik was performing much better that competitor Victrelis in the clinical trials.  I'm thinking that in time that as data is gathered from the thousands in the program now that we will know the story for sure.  I heard there are over 17,000 taking the Vertex drug.

In a way I'm leaning toward the Incevik but fear of the itch has me considering Victrelis.  It is a hard decision to make.
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Avatar universal
Why was my treatment not stopped after the viral breakthrough?  I am not sure and I don't guess there was any reason. I thought seriously about ending it myself at the time but kept on with the treatment.  My doctor didn't indicate that I should stop and in fact said something like that my immune system might just be "resting' and getting ready to work harder to fight the virus.  The doc was a gastroenteroligist at a clinic near Atlanta that was treating a bunch of hep C patients.  I do know that at the end of the treatment I was tolerating the drugs fairly well and I asked him would it not be better to continue the treatment for some time longer and he refused saying he had no "basis" to make such a decision.  

What is the difference in treatment for a "break-through" patient?  I may start a new thread and ask the question as I have my doctor's appointment next Tuesday.  
Helpful - 0
223152 tn?1346978371
Here is s thread from a couple of months ago on Pegasys vs PegIntron that is pretty good

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/pegintron-vs-pegasys/show/1578124#post_7169850
Helpful - 0
223152 tn?1346978371
slage
On the PegIntron and Pegasys issue I have read a couple of studies and the SVR rate for Pegasys does seem to be a little higher than with PegIntron.  However, the relapse rate is also greater with Pegasys. On a personal level, I do thing PegIntron is a little harder to take.  I find the day after the shot hard -- usually mild headaches and joint aches.  another member here - willing - said it could have to do with the molecule size - that Pegasys binds to the INF more readily and with the PegIntron there may be some unbound INF floating around for a day or two.  He also said that could cause the INF to get out of the system quicker. However, since I relapsed on Pegasys, PegIntron is the drug of choice here.

I wonder if it would be better for you to do the 4-week lead in and take the Victrelis.  That may not show anything since your break through was later on your first treatment.  I think either are worthy.  I am glad I am doing the Victrelis.  My sides are bearable - mostly the anemia gets me - but I am not seeing much less of that on this forum with the INC patients.  I do not have to deal with the rash or anal itching and that is good.

I am curious too - how was your hemoglobing first time, and did you dose reduce or use rescue drugs.

Welcome to the forum.
frijole
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Avatar universal
Curious about one other thing, between your und at week 12 and week 24 was your ribavirin dose reduced or stopped?
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Avatar universal
I'm wondering what was your doctors reason for not stopping treatment at week 24? You clearly had a viral breakthrough.......... not sure which interferon you use matters as the PI seems to be the hopeful drug now. BTW are they planning on treating you as a breakthough patient?

Wishing you the best
Helpful - 0
1669790 tn?1333662595
I'm wondering if I might be better off this time with the Peg-intron.
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I've read about others struggling with this same choice.  If you don't get any feedback on this topic, you might start another thread to get a better response to hear their rationale for choosing one over the other.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks and I will study that material.  

I suppose I will take the Pegasys whichever anti-viral I use.  But I wonder as I was a "partial responder" to Pegasys before (no virus @12 weeks, 212,000VL@24 week and no virus@48 weeks) I'm wondering if I might be better off this time with the Peg-intron.  Guess I might flip a coin.

BTW, I'm 70 miles south of Tampa in Arcadia.  Guess I need to add that to my profile.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Slagle,

This has some comparative info http://www.natap.org/2011/PDF/NurseMary.pdf

This has some success rate info For incivek, see the section on study c216 for prior partial responders  
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/ucm256328.htm

I am sure you can find similar info on Victrelis but I did not save links to that since I went with incivek.
Helpful - 0
1669790 tn?1333662595
Following is a good read for things to consider while choosing between Incevik and Victrelis:

http://www.idse.net//ViewArticle.aspx?ses=ogst&d=Hepatitis&d_id=213&i=ISSUE%3a+August+2011&i_id=753&a_id=18862

Although I have no personal experience, I've read many comments on this forum and elsewhere to support your doctor's statement about Pegasys being easier to tolerate than PegIntron.  There's been several that have trt with both that might chime in if they catch this.  Best of luck making your choices.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Honda, I love bikes too. Is your 750 an old one?  I have a 1974 Kawasaki Z1 900 but my bad back won't let me ride much these days.  Somehow I have the feeling that the Incevik may be a little stronger than the Victrelis but you never know till you try.  I had been told that the Pegasys pegylated interferon was a bit better than the Peg-intron but after I relapsed after TX I was told that there was a chance that I might retreat but using the Peg-intron and have a chance of success because maybe my virus would respond better to it which I was told in  the first place was less effective.  Good luck on your TX and I expect to start soon on one or the other.
Helpful - 0
250701 tn?1320974765
My Dr. told me that Incevik was for people who tried the treatment before and was a non responder. I was neg for 10 months then 2 months later it came back...
Helpful - 0
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