ribasphere or copegus or rebetol more effective?

[candyce1953]

I may be saying it wrong my md wants me to take RIBA pack and Pegasus with Vic

My reading on Pegasus is that  it is slightly percentage better on SVR than peg intron

I gotta do Vic will be less hard on my stomach and intestines than In ( have issues)

But want to check in if any one knows of any studies that show one type of ribivarin more effective than another?
Thank you and Happy Holidays

[candyce1953]

Thank you Bill
I will check it out!
Happy New Year!

[Bill1954]

Hi Candyce,

I’m not sure there are any discernable, end-point differences between Pegintron and Pegasys.

If you go to this site:

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hepatitis-c

and use their search engine look for ‘IDEAL’ study results. I’m trying to do that right now but the engine doesn’t seem to be working; perhaps it has a hangover from Christmas dinner last night or something :o). Try later and I think you’ll find similar efficacy between the two products across genotypes. This is a good reference site regardless; you’ll want to bookmark it for future use.

Regarding ribavirin I agree with others; there should be letters of bioequivalence available from various manufacturers and again, no clinical difference in product efficacy.

--Bill

[candyce1953]

Thank u both for the links
Very informative!

[Aquisi]

On the "Clinical Care Options" web site there's a nice slide presentation called,
"On the Front Lines: Battling Chronic Hepatitis C Today and in the Future" download Slideset: On-Treatment Management of Hepatitis C Patients. Free registration. Starts on slide #24.

Regards
Charlie

[flcyclist]

My understanding is the active ingredient of each is the same, but just a different brand name by different manufacturer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think you knew, but for clarification, I was referring to Ribavirin, not interferon.  There are difference between Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) and PegIntron (peginterferon alfa-2a).

http://www.natap.org/2008/EASL/EASL_86.htm

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Peg-Intron-or-Pegasus/show/87583

http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/hiv_pegasys_pegintron_1667_17850.shtml

[flcyclist]

Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) is available as either 0.5 ml preloaded syringes or 1.0 ml vials that have to be loaded by you into the syringe.  Both contain 180 ug of interferon.  I received one shipment of the 1.0 ml vials and didn't like the extra hastle and volume to deliver.  I requested to receive the 0.5 ml syringes from then on.  I agree that the 0.5 ml preloaded syringes are easier to deal with and the smaller volume is also nicer.  

[candyce1953]

Thanks fly cyclist I think I am going with Pegasus since md said and the pre loaded
Happy holidays!

[flcyclist]

My understanding is the active ingredient of each is the same, but just a different brand name by different manufacturer.  I recall some are available in different doses, so if you needed to do a dose reduction this could be an advantage.  

[candyce1953]

Thanks
Just checking on the riba to get the most bang for the buck!

I was interested to find that there was such a big difference between peg inton and Pegasus though

I am 1b TT so every tiny percentage pointed in my favor may help :-)

[hrsepwrguy]

There all the same as far as effectiveness comes in a generic form as well