[Interferon-free treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C].

Oral combinations of direct acting antivirals (interferon-free) improve efficacy and safety outcomes for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In Japanese phase 3 study of daclatasvir plus asunaprevir combination therapy for 24 weeks, 222 patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection were enrolled. SVR was achieved by 87% of interferon-ineligible/intolerant patients and 81% of nonresponder patients; rates were similar in cirrhosis (91%) and noncirrhosis (84%) patients, and in patients with IL28B CC (85%) or non-CC (85%) genotypes. The rate of serious adverse events was low among patients. Other oral combination therapies (interferon-free) are ongoing in Japan. Interferon-free all-oral therapy is well tolerated and can achieve a high rate of SVR in patients with HCV genotype 1b.