A small trial of Gilead Sciences’ fixed-dose combination pill of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) and ledipasvir is poised to boast a 100 percent success rate in curing hepatitis C virus (HCV) among those coinfected with HIV, aidsmap reports. Interim results from the Phase II study of 10 participants who were not taking antiretrovirals (ARVs) to treat HIV and 21 participants who were taking ARVs were presented at the 49th annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) in London.

Everyone in the study received 12 weeks of therapy with the once-daily fixed-dose combination pill of the NS5B nucleotide polymerase inhibitor Sovaldi and the NS5A inhibitor ledipasvir.

All members of the ARV-untreated group have achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure). All of those in the ARV-treated group have achieved an SVR4, indicating a high likelihood that another eight weeks would pass without incident and they would be pronounced cured.

The hep C combination proved safe to use with various HIV ARVs. There were no significant changes in HIV viral load or CD4 counts in either arm of the study. There was no apparent kidney toxicity, and the hep C therapy ultimately proved well tolerated; no one stopped therapy because of adverse side effects.

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