SOFOSBUVIR FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION

Sofosbuvir is a nucleotide analogue selective inhibitor of the RNA-directed RNA polymerase (NS5B) enzyme of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome. It has shown potent antiviral activity across all HCV genotypes and in a variety of patient populations, including treatment-naive patients; treatment-experienced patients who had failed previous standard therapy; patients with decompensated liver disease, including cirrhosis; and HIV co-infected patients. It is administered as a single, once-daily 400-mg tablet, has no food restrictions, has low potential for drug interactions, and requires no dose adjustment in mild to moderate kidney or liver impairment. When sofosbuvir is combined with pegylated interferon and/or ribavirin, its clinical and laboratory safety profile is similar to that which is expected from pegylated interferon or ribavirin alone. Rates of treatment discontinuation and dose reduction with sofosbuvir-containing regimens were lower than those commonly observed with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.