Gilead Sciences’ investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for all genotypes of the virus boasted a high success rate among those treated for the first time. The Phase II Studies 1168 and 1169 gave six and eight weeks of the fixed-dose combination tablet of the nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) and the pangenotypic (meaning it affects all genotypes) NS5A inhibitor velpatasvir plus the NS3/4A protease inhibitor GS-9857, with or without ribavirin, to 197 treatment-naive people with genotypes 1 through 6 of the virus, including those with and without cirrhosis.

Combined results from the two studies were presented at the 51st International Liver Congress in Barcelona.

Of those treated without ribavirin for six weeks, 79 percent (53 of 67) achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure). Of those treated for eight weeks without ribavirin, 96 percent (95 of 99) were cured. Eighty-one percent (25 of 31) of those treated with ribavirin for eight weeks were cured.

The most common adverse health “events”, occurring in more than 10 percent of participants across the three study arms, were headache, nausea, fatigue diarrhea and anemia.

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