AbbVie sees positive results in testing for hepatitis C drug

AbbVie has reported positive results in its Phase III trial evaluating the combination of Viekirax and Exviera, without ribavirin, in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Five Phase III clinical trials showed that patients received sustained virologic response rates at 48 weeks post-treatment, when they received the recommended regimen of Viekirax (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir) and Exviera (dasabuvir).

100 percent of patients with genotype 1b of the hepatitis C virus achieved a positive virologic response, regardless of where certain resistance-associated (NS5A RAVs) variants of the virus were present.

Rob Scott, chief medical officer at AbbVie, commented: "As we learn more about the role of resistance to direct-acting antiviral regimens, it is vital to further investigate treatment options that are not affected by baseline RAVs."

Image credit: iStock/nicolas_