Twelve weeks of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), interferon and ribavirin cured 93 percent of people with the difficult-to-treat genotype 3 of hepatitis C virus (HCV), MedPage Today reports. Researchers presented findings from the Phase III BOSON study at the 50th International Liver Congress in Vienna, Austria.

The study randomly assigned 544 participants with genotype 3, with and without cirrhosis, treatment naive or treatment experienced, to take 16 or 24 weeks of Sovaldi and ribavirin or 12 weeks of that regimen plus interferon.

Ninety-three percent (168 of 181) of the participants who took interferon achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure). The cure rates were just 71 percent (128 of 181) and 84 percent (153 of 182) of those who, respectively, took 16 and 24 weeks of Sovaldi and ribavirin.

Most of the adverse side effects were mild, even among those taking interferon. Six participants, including one in the interferon arm, dropped out of the study because of side effects.

To read the press release, click here.

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