A recent trial suggests that Bristol-Myers Squibb’s daclatasvir plus Gilead Sciences’ Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), with or without ribavirin, cures high rates of people with genotype 1 of hepatitis C virus (HCV), including those with cirrhosis. Preliminary results from the trial were reported at the 50th International Liver Congress in Vienna, Austria.

Out of 409 people in the trial, 318 were treated without ribavirin and 91 were treated with ribavirin. A total of 318 participants had cirrhosis, and 306 were treatment experienced. Treatment lasted for 12 or 24 weeks.

Among all participants who did not take ribavirin, 81.6 percent of those treated for 12 weeks and 93.9 percent of those treated for 24 weeks achieved a sustained virologic response four weeks after completing therapy, or SVR4, which indicates a high likelihood that they will achieve an SVR12, which is considered a cure. The respective SVR4 rates for those who took 12 and 24 weeks of treatment with ribavirin were 100 percent and 96.6 percent.

Nine percent of participants experienced serious adverse side effects, and 3.1 percent dropped out of the trial because of such reactions.

To read a press release about the study, click here.