Simeprevir in combination with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin in the treatment of naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C

Triple therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha, ribavirin, and simeprevir is now optimal among the antiviral treatment options available in the Russian Federation for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), including in the compensated stage of liver cirrhosis. The optimality of this combination is determined by its high efficacy - the given combination of antiviral agents allows one to predict that more than 90% of naive patients with CHC will achieve a sustained virological response as 97-99% of the Russian population patients is infected with hepatitis C virus subgenotype 1b. The second important aspect that can recognize the triple therapy incorporating simeprevir to be most rational now is its safety similar to that of double therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin. In addition, the absolute advantages of the triple therapy including simeprevir are shorter treatment duration (for a total of 24 weeks) for all naive patients with CHC, including those in the compensated stage of cirrhosis, and simeprevir taken as one capsule once daily.