Low Innovation in HCV Therapies Means Significant Unmet Need Remains

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Although recent years have seen a revolution in the hepatitis C space, as interferon-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combination therapies have started replacing interferon-based therapies, a number of considerable unmet needs remain, according to business intelligence provider GBI Research.

The company’s latest report emphasises that although the proportion of hepatitis C patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate DAA combination therapies is small, as over 90% can now be cured within 3–6 months, a failure rate of even 5% may still leave up to 10 million people with unmet needs due to the high prevalence. In addition, it is estimated that 1–2% of people who reach a sustained virologic response may experience a subsequent relapse over a 4–5 year period.

Hepatitis C virus resistance to DAAs may also be a cause for concern, as the development of selection pressure by the host immune system in combination with DAA therapy may lead to the outgrowth of resistant viruses that have an advantage, and therefore become the dominant strain. As a consequence, it is possible that this subgroup of patients may increase in size in the future.