Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has been carrying out several HCV clinical development programs and it is now ready to present data. The company says it will be presenting the new data as well as real-world studies on ZEPATIER 50mg/100mg tablets at the upcoming International Liver Congress 2017 in Amsterdam, Netherlands from April 19 – 23, 2017.
Alongside an oral session, which will be featuring real-world data on chronic HCV-infected patients, another seventeen scientific abstracts will be presented. HVC is treated with ZEPATIER commonly found in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. It is used in patients who have failed to respond to an HCV direct-acting antiviral regimen.
ZEPATIER is indicated for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype (GT) 1 or GT4 infection
More often than not ZEPATIER is used with ribavirin (RBV) in particular patient populations. Merck’s senior vice president for global clinical development Dr. Eliav Barr says, “We continue to generate new data on ZEPATIER while advancing our ongoing investigational program evaluating uprifosbuvir in combination with other assets, underscoring our continued commitment to chronic HCV research.”
Nonetheless, ZEPATIER’s administration must be under the guidance of a healthcare professional. It is a requirement that all patients are tested for evidence of current or prior HBV infection. There have been several cases of HBV reactivation in HCV/HBV coinfected patients who are either undergoing or have completed treatment with HCV direct-acting antivirals.
Some cases of HCV and HBV infections have had other repercussions the likes of hepatic failure and even death. This explains the need for scrutiny of patients for clinical and laboratory signs of hepatitis flare or HBV reactivation.
ZEPATIER is approved for use in more than 17 countries worldwide. They include Canada, the European Union, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, and Taiwan among others with an anticipation of additional regulatory approvals. However, it is not indicated for treating chronic HCV GT3 or GT6 infection. In the meantime, Merck’s stock closed at $63.57 a decline of $0.10 or 0.16%.