Zepatier (elbasvir + grazoprevir) is recommended by UK NICE for treating genotype 1 or 4 chronic hepatitis C - Merck Inc

Zepatier (elbasvir + grazoprevir), from Merck Inc, is recommended by UK NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating genotype 1 or 4 chronic hepatitis C in adults. For genotype 1a, Zepatier can be offered for 12 weeks. Alternatively, Zepatier plus ribavirin can be considered for 16 weeks in people with a baseline hepatitis C virus RNA level of more than 800,000 IU/ml or specific NS5A polymorphisms causing at least a 5-fold reduction in activity of elbasvir.

For genotype 1b and 4, Zepatier can be offered for 12 weeks. Alternatively, for genotype 4, Zepatier plus ribavirin can be offered for 16 weeks in people with a baseline hepatitis C virus RNA level of more than 800,000 IU/ml.

The NICE committee concluded that the adverse events associated with elbasvir–grazoprevir were generally tolerable and elbasvir–grazoprevir has a similar safety profile to all-direct-acting antiviral regimens.