We did know that Telaprevir (VX-950), is a member of a class of antiviral drugs known as 'Protease Inhibitors' was an experimental treatment for Hepatitis and two companies Vertex and Johnson & Johnson jointly developed and phase II clinical trials were being done. Now thanx, to Dr. Ira M. Jacobson chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and the Vincent Astor Distinguished Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, who has come up with the results of Phase IIb clinical trial.
Th results are really encouraging and as per the author, "the findings point the way to a new era in the treatment of hepatitis C". The most significant part of the research lies in the fact that, by adding Telaprevir the treatment was more effective and quicker and there by reducing the therapy to half (from 48 weeks to 24 weeks).
Results showed that 67 percent of patients taking telaprevir in combination with standard therapy for 12 weeks followed by standard therapy alone for 36 weeks were cured; and 61 percent of those taking telaprevir in combination with standard therapy for 12 weeks followed by standard therapy alone for 12 weeks were cured. This is compared to 41 percent cure rate in the 48-week control group. And more over the study also showed that the percentage of patients who relapsed in the 24-week and 48-week telaprevir-based groups (2 percent and 6 percent, respectively) was much lower than the control group (23 percent). Also the authors found that it can be used alongwith Ribavirin, for those with HIV & Hepatitis C. Congratulations for this achievement. Phase III clinical trials are currently underway at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and centers worldwide will attempt to confirm the results, potentially leading to FDA approval of telaprevir and hope there will be a relief to the sufferers very soooon......
Ref : http://news.med.cornell.edu/wcmc/wcmc_2009/06_04_09.shtml
my husband has had hepatitis genotype 1 now for three years .
ReplyDeletehe is a former nonresponder to prior treatments . last treatment got him down to a viral count of around 340 then all of sudden his count started going back up. so he was taken off of the treatment by his doctor. we missed out on the clinical trials when they started. we live in the state of fla daytona beach area and i keep up on the news of this new drug telaprevir in hope a new trial will be recruiting in our area for he is perfect subject foe the trial.please keep up the good work and try for that early fda approval. thank you