Latest news on VX-950

[Valtod]

Among 74 patients given VX-950 for whom data were available at the end of 12 weeks, 88 percent had undetectable levels of the virus. That compared with 52 percent of those in the group that received only interferon and ribavirin.
[...]

Despite its apparent better potency, 9 percent of patients taking VX-950 dropped out of the latest study due to adverse events, including rash, gastrointestinal disorders and anemia -- compared to only 3 percent taking the standard dual therapy.

http://tinyurl.com/ydkred

[crsrph]

hope to find out friday they couldnt find them last week thanks for asking chuck

[lab-rat]

Congratulations on your awesome news!  I'm so happy for you...You must be ecstatic!  It must feel like winning the lottery to know you'll be done tx'ing soon.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll hold on to UND forever!  Good luck!

[chcnme]

Hi Beebs. Welcome.  Glad you found this site.  

The best way to find out if you are a candidate for Vertex (or any upcoming trial with any of the newer drugs being tested) is to get under the care of good hep doc who participates in research or is very familiar with it and can refer you to (or tell you about) a hep doc who is at a site where trials are being conducted.

They are recruiting now for VX950 (and many others too) and will be in the future, probably, but you have to meet certain criteria to be picked.  They automatically exclude certain patients right off the bat based on "exclusion criteria". Some of that information is the drug manufacturer site or at www.clinicaltrials.org  (but some of it is not, or it needs to be further defined to you by a doctor who is doing research for the drug.)  Ask a doctor to help you.  

As far as the rash with VX-950 and whether a patient in a trial is pulled (or whether they drop out on their own), either can happen - they can be pulled due to complications, such as hematologic disorders, skin disorders (rash), GI disorder, or they can drop out on their own at any time they want to.

Best of luck.

[chcnme]

oh for sure - their VX720 knocked their investors for a loop.  I'm intersted in it mostly for me and hep c (but for other reasons, too), and it took a d*** beating yesterday! It's been a risky one, but a good one,  I think, but - it's on schedule to kick out and sell if it doesn't start behaving !!

[prettydamscared]

Awesome!!!!!!! So, you were undedected at 2 weeks.  Your baseline starting load was 27M, as in at one of your screenings and/or right before treatment. So, you went from 27M to un in 2 weeks.  Amazing.

Can you help us understand a little bit about how the unblinding process works as we all seem to be getting conflicting information from our studies.  You had your week 20 visit last Monday, correct.  From then, how long did it take you to get your group assignment and viral loads.  Was it in writing or did they give it to you verbally? Sorry about all the questions, but nobody in my study seems to know for sure, even after checking with the monitor.  It just seems to be a really confusing process.  Did you find it to be so?  I'm at 20 in less than 2 weeks, and would really like to know what to expect.

Good to hear from you & I'm glad you're back wherever you've been.

Char

[beebs2]

New to this forum and finding it very informative.  Excited about what I have been reading about VX 950.  I noticed the reference to the rash as reason for discontinuance and wonder if this is up to the patient to decide, or does the rash just mean a quick ticket out regardless.  I ask because I have recently started acupuncture to try and help my symptoms (I also have cryoglobulinemia) and in the course of my tx I developed a severe rash on my lower body.  My Chinese doctor felt that was a normal and acceptable reaction, as so many toxins can be released through the skin, so I kept up with the treatments.  Now, a few weeks later, the rash is gone and my symptoms are much improved.  And this makes me wonder if the rash that so many people get on interferon/ribavirin isn't maybe just the body's way of sluffing off the toxins that the liver hasn't taken care of.  Could it actually be a positive sign that things are improving?  
Anyway, just a thought.  
Does anyone know if they are still recruiting for the trials?