Background and aim: Daclatasvir plus asunaprevir (DCV + ASV) has demonstrated potent antiviral activity in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection. A definite conclusion about efficacy and safety of DCV + ASV in patients with HCV genotype 1b is not available. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate outcomes of all-oral treatment with DCV + ASV in terms of sustained virological response at 12 (SVR12 ) and 24 (SVR24 ) weeks and adverse effects after the end of treatment.
Methods: PUBMED, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases were searched in May 2016. The data were analyzed with Review Manager 5.3.
Results: Nine trials (n = 1690) met entry criteria. SVR12 was achieved by 89.9% of treatment-naïve patients, 84.7% of interferon-ineligible/intolerant patients, and 81.9% of nonresponder patients. Moreover, 89.0% of interferon-ineligible/intolerant patients and 83.1% of nonresponder patients achieved SVR24 . Baseline characteristics, including gender, race, advanced age, non-CC IL28B genotype, and cirrhosis, did not appear to impact SVR rates. However, the rate of SVR12 in all patients with viral load < 8 × 105 was higher than that of all those with viral load ≥ 8 × 105 (151/162 vs 625/753). Moreover, pre-existing nonstructural protein 5A resistance-associated variants (RAVs) were associated with virological failure during DCV + ASV therapy, resulting in the emergence of multiple RAVs. Treatment with DCV + ASV was well tolerated, with low incidences of serious adverse effects, discontinuations, and grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities in all patients.
Conclusions: Daclatasvir plus asunaprevir provides a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with HCV genotype 1b. However, patients with nonstructural protein 5A RAVs at baseline should be assessed to optimize more potent direct antiviral agent therapies.
Keywords: asunaprevir; daclatasvir; hepatitis C virus; hepatitis C virus genotype 1; hepatitis C virus genotype 1b.
© 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.