News Stories and Other Posts

[TnHepGuy_]

<a href="http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1478-3231.2006.01262.x">Successful treatment of autoimmune hepatitis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura with the monoclonal antibody, rituximab: case report and review of literature</a>

<a href="http://www.natap.org/2006/HCV/053006_01.htm">Metabolics/Belly Fat Advance HCV Disease</a>

<a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112636878/ABSTRACT">The natural history of compensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus: A 17-year cohort study of 214 patients</a>

<a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112636845/ABSTRACT">Caspase activation is required for antiviral treatment response in chronic hepatitis C virus infection</a>

<a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112636854/ABSTRACT">Host cell responses induced by hepatitis C virus binding</a>

<a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112636860/ABSTRACT">Cryoglobulinemia is associated with steatosis and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C</a>

<a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112636862/ABSTRACT">Hepatitis C vaccines: Inducing and challenging memory T cells</a>

<a href="http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/PIIS0016508506005634/abstract">Relationship Between Steatosis, Inflammation, and Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis C: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Patient Data</a>

[NYgirl]

Going to go look for press releases...

All I can find is that it is currently used as an anti diarhhea medication...and

They had all Geno 4 people in the trial

Romark
has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application with the United States Food & Drug Administration and plans to seek Fast-Track designation for treating chronic hepatitis C.

Alinia (nitazoxanide) is the first of a new class of drugs called the thiazolides. Members of this class of drugs are small molecules that suppress replication of certain viruses by selectively inhibiting synthesis of virus structural proteins

A phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of Alinia as oral monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C was initiated in early 2005 at the Romark Digestive Disease Research Center in Egypt.


It does say that the drug had a 50% cure rate among the trial people all who were geno 4 and 10% had failed with interferon and riba

[merlino]

You are right. i didn't read them all the way through. I have been a little absent minded lately.

[Forseegood]

youre Joanie-on-the-Spot with the research, bless you, thanks for not beating me up for even mentioning it, I was just wondering about it, there are already a few people already taking it on Janis cause it is already approved for something else I guess...

[cuteus]

I am at my 18 month mark this month, I thought you finished before me! I am not sure if an 18 month PCR is as good as a two yr one. I gather you are not having an 18 month one, then.
I hope your reds finally recovered. How about that right hip pain, is it gone for good?
are you still a yankee in Tn? I am going to try and squeeze a few games this yr into my schedule.
stay well

[FlGuy]

There have been other drugs developed to combat one disease that turn out to be effective against other unintended conditions.  An anti-diarhea drug for hep-C, makes me wonder if riba was originally intended as a rat poison.

[Upbeat]

Well if this drug is already avalible in the US to treat other ailments a person could get some and give it a try.

                                                          Ron

[JazzCat]

From:
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/doctor/topics/hcv1.html


Question:  
Hepatitis C - More Questions and Contributing Editors' Answers

I am taking maintenance dose of Intron A-ribavirin post liver TX for HepC-1a. I want to try taking Alinia (nitazoxanide) with the combo drugs: 500mg 2x per day for 24 weeks. My hepatologist will monitor my labs. What is your opinion?

Answer by Douglas Dieterich, MD
Dr. Dieterich is Vice Chair and Chief Medical Officer Department of Medicine at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and an attending physician at New York University Tisch Hospital

Worth a try. Not much reliable data on it so far, but not very toxic. As long as your hepatologist is monitoring you carefully for side effects, it is OK to try for a few months. Good luck! Let us know how it comes out!

[FlGuy]

A few months back a new poster said that he/she were about to leave for Egypt to look into a new hcv drug there.  I thought the discussion was around camel's milk that instantly escalated to Goof's favorite subject, that which is merkin covered.  now I wonder if it was Alinia.

[merlino]

I just found an article claiming 11 of 12 pateints who were participents in the last VX-950 trial were undetectable after 28 days. Could this be possible! The Vx-950 was given along with Pegasus/Copegasus.

[cuteus]

I know you have more links somewhere! When is your two yr PCR?

The vaccine research looks promising!

[TnHepGuy_]

<a href="http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/PIIS001650850600388X/abstract">Identification of Two Gene Variants Associated With Risk of Advanced Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C</a>

<a href="http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2006icr/ddw/docs/053006_a.html">Detection of HCV RNA Using Sensitive Test Can Help Guide Therapy</a>



TnHepGuy

[TnHepGuy_]

<u>cuteus</u> - I guess I'm a bit on the "link-lite" side today.

I'm only 17 months past the end of my tx, so I will have to wait until next January to hit the two year mark. I have appts. w/ both my internist and then my GI within the next couple of months. I'm sure they'll vamper-ize my arm and the LFT results should be a good indicator of the current state of things liver-wise. I'm also interested to see if my WBC's and RBC's are still slowly climbing back.


How close are you now to the two-year threshold?


<u>DoubleDose</u> - Congratulations on you 2+ clear!



TnHepGuy

[Forseegood]

hi I'm not trying to start a stampede (I know I won't with the discerning individuals on this board) and I don't know much about this drug either, cept the little I've been reading, which is of course speculative at best, and it just might be another blind alley or whatever, but have you guys been hearing about this drug Alinia? Please don't think I'm trying to say its a replacement for the current interferon drugs or anything like that, I'm just wondering if anyone here has heard of it...here's a dialouge I got over at another site...

Well today I went to the doc and he gave me some exciting news, he said there is a new drug, a pill, they are using in Egypt that is working great treating HCV.  It has not been approved here yet but could be by October.  Has anyone else heard of this?  He has always shot straight with me so I found his words incouraging, something this gal has needed for a long long time.  Please let me know if anyone else has heard about this?

Hi, the drug is Alinia and I've been taking it for 2 months now.  I don't want to give anybody false hope prematurely but I think it's working b/c I started feeling really good, all my energy and life force has returned.  Previously my symptoms were low grade fever, nausea, chronic fatigue, weakness, headache, etc.  
I'm geno 1, VL 17,000,000 with mild fibrosis according to the Fibrospect blood test.  I tried interferon with NM283 for one week last year and didn't have the fortitude to continue.  Alinia has the same cure rate as INF and riba WITHOUT the sx.  The only sx I've experienced with Alinia is occasional sweating like hot flashes.
I'll do a PCR in one month and report my results.  It's expensive, about $23 per tablet and dosage is every 12 hours.  However, I completed some hardship paperwork and Romark sent a six month supply for free.

[NYgirl]

Wow a vaccine would be just so amazing!  Too bad most people don't even realize they should have it though since most people aren't even AWARE that they have hepC.

Maybe if there was a vaccine though the government would let people in on this big secret since it would be so much cheaper than treatment.

Merlino = that all was discussed a week ago if you look down in the thread.

[NYgirl]

Make sure you just provide snippets or the link or the folks at MH might zonk the whole thread in here...we aren't allowed to copy an article and the info is really interesting so I'd hate to lose the thread.

That is why we just try to post links and such. Plus it saves time on my scrolling finger (hahahah)

Just wanted to let you know :)

[NYgirl]

Wouldn't you think an antidiahhreal might provide a whole new set of it's own problemms if you take it but don't need it?  ;)

[Forseegood]

Well I know both of the women who are taking it over at Janis, I'll report back with any news I find...actually, there seems to be a few more people willing to try it, a few non-responders, if so far they say there aren't many sides to it, what the hay...

[Upbeat]

In Egypt Geno 4 is the most common Geno. Like our 1 is here. This is why they only treated Geno 4 in their trials.

                                                        Ron

[TnHepGuy_]

I've been pretty well left with bone/hip/upper-leg pain ever since tx. I've got other lasting sx's that started when on the meds, including: unexplained, near constant skin breakouts around the perimeter of my nose, chronic nasal drip, increased sensitivity to allergens (just started bi-weekly injections), chronic calf cramping, frequent chalazions (eyelid oil-gland blockages), generally slower healing times - and a few others that don't come to my spongiform brain at the moment.

I'm now of the opinion that one leaves interferon tx with an entirely different - and not in a good way - immune system than what one walked around with prior.


Yep. Still a Damn Yankee here in the South. We may briefly change that status this fall if my wife hits the NYC Marathon lottery (she finds out later on this month). Though, that still won't be in time to visit the stadium unless the Bombers are in the Series come November 5th.

One thing is certain, though. Next time we're up North, I plan on raiding as many Italian markets and bakeries as possible.


Hope all is well with you and family.


TnHepGuy

[DoubleDose]

I'm with you on that one.  My 'new' immune system is very different from the pre-tx version.  I react to almost everything in a negative way these days, including stress, allergans, sun exposure, physical exertion, etc.  I still get painful mouth and tongue sores that make my ear ache at times, I have joint flare-ups in the back, ribs, and neck that are often pretty intense, and my skin breaks out in little red bumps from sun exposure, while my face exhibits a 'mini-Lupus' rash, across the cheekbones and bridge of nose. Its odd to feel better, and feel worse at the same time.  

Thanks for the congrats, and same to you as you approach two years.  

DoubleDose

[willing]

tn/cuteus: as ever, thanks for your interesting selection of recent articles. All the best to you and cuteus on your upcoming SVR confirmation; I'm certain you'll soon be joining DD in celebrating.

Jazzcat : thanks for the interesting background info. I hope MH doesn't kill this thread because of the full-text inclusion : it's safer to post a link and avoid the copyright issues.

forseegood: I had no idea; to my money you definitely don't post enough. Please keep us informed, I thought kittyface was the only other person on this board trying it out. I've been trying to read up a bit on alinia/nitazoxanide, without making much headway, since it seemed a promising way to do maintenance.

Here's the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2005/021498s003lbl.pdf">FDA drug sheet</a> and a rather dense description of its antibacterial effect, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16127045&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum">Esposito'05</a>.

I was thinking of going backpacking in the Sierras in a few weeks where there's a fair amount of Giardia. If I drink enough stream water maybe I can talk my Dr. into an rx..


Jazzcat's 2/25/06 summary seems to imply  Romark was planning to release something at DDW, but they didn't. I wonder if this reflects incomplete results or major negotiations between privately-held  Romark and the pharma big boys.

[DoubleDose]

Here is a link to an article which covers the issue of viral load in GT 1's, and its impact on SVR rate.  Interestingly, they found NO significant difference in SVR for low or high viral loads!  This is good news for those GT 1's with extremely high viral loads.  No reason to be pessimistic at all!

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2006icr/ddw/docs/060206_a.html

DoubleDose

[MissMiss]

Just curious if you used Neup or Procrit while tx'ing.  Sorry to hear you are still having some negative issues.  Here's hoping they resolve sooner than later.

miss

[Forseegood]

hey I'm going to the Sierras this summer too! Well, I'm going to give it a real effort, have a friend that lives at the foot of them and he lets me hang out there if I want to, or there are so many nice cabins and B&Bs there as well, as you well know I bet..if I look downstream and see some guy furtively drinking out of a stream like there's no tomorrow, I'll give you a shout! ha ha ha!