Ribavirin Dose Optimization for the Treatment of Hepatitis C

Summary

Patients for whom treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin was unsuccessful represent a category of patients for whom there is currently no worthwhile therapeutic alternative. Several studies have shown that there is a relation between plasma ribavirin concentrations and treatment response. Adequate ribavirin plasma concentrations, especially during the first 12 weeks of treatment, should be associated with a better chance of response to the treatment. The strategy for this study will be to use a loading dose of ribavirin before beginning the treatment with peg-interferon, thereby allowing for optimal ribavirin concentrations to be reached, and possibly improving the effectiveness of the treatment.

Timeline

Start

2011-02

Primary completion

2013-08

Completion

2013-08

Publications

• Background Tsubota A, Hirose Y, Izumi N, Kumada H. Pharmacokinetics of ribavirin in combined interferon-alpha 2b and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2003 Apr;55(4):360-7. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2125.2003.01780.x.
• Background Wade JR, Snoeck E, Duff F, Lamb M, Jorga K. Pharmacokinetics of ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C virus. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Dec;62(6):710-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2006.02704.x.
• Background Maynard M, Pradat P, Gagnieu MC, Souvignet C, Trepo C. Prediction of sustained virological response by ribavirin plasma concentration at week 4 of therapy in hepatitis C virus genotype 1 patients. Antivir Ther. 2008;13(4):607-11.
• Background Cheruvattath R, Rosati MJ, Gautam M, Vargas HE, Rakela J, Balan V. Pegylated interferon and ribavirin failures: is retreatment an option? Dig Dis Sci. 2007 Mar;52(3):732-6. doi: 10.1007/s10620-006-9457-x.
• Background Glue P. The clinical pharmacology of ribavirin. Semin Liver Dis. 1999;19 Suppl 1:17-24.
• Background Uchida M, Hamada A, Yamasaki M, Fujiyama S, Sasaki Y, Saito H. Assessment of adverse reactions and pharmacokinetics of ribavirin in combination with interferon alpha-2b in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 2004 Dec;19(6):438-43. doi: 10.2133/dmpk.19.438.
• Background Arase Y, Ikeda K, Tsubota A, Suzuki F, Suzuki Y, Saitoh S, Kobayashi M, Akuta N, Someya T, Hosaka T, Sezaki H, Kobayashi M, Kumada H. Significance of serum ribavirin concentration in combination therapy of interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. Intervirology. 2005;48(2-3):138-44. doi: 10.1159/000081741.
• Background Badr G, Bedard N, Abdel-Hakeem MS, Trautmann L, Willems B, Villeneuve JP, Haddad EK, Sekaly RP, Bruneau J, Shoukry NH. Early interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus infection rescues polyfunctional, long-lived CD8+ memory T cells. J Virol. 2008 Oct;82(20):10017-31. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01083-08. Epub 2008 Jul 30.
• Background Hofer H, Donnerer J, Sator K, Staufer K, Scherzer TM, Dejaco C, Sator M, Kessler H, Ferenci P. Seminal fluid ribavirin level and functional semen parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis C on antiviral combination therapy. J Hepatol. 2010 Jun;52(6):812-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2009.12.039. Epub 2010 Mar 23.
• Background Jen JF, Glue P, Gupta S, Zambas D, Hajian G. Population pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analysis of ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Ther Drug Monit. 2000 Oct;22(5):555-65. doi: 10.1097/00007691-200010000-00010.
• Background Jen J, Laughlin M, Chung C, Heft S, Affrime MB, Gupta SK, Glue P, Hajian G. Ribavirin dosing in chronic hepatitis C: application of population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2002 Oct;72(4):349-61. doi: 10.1067/mcp.2002.127112.
• Background Jensen DM, Marcellin P, Freilich B, Andreone P, Di Bisceglie A, Brandao-Mello CE, Reddy KR, Craxi A, Martin AO, Teuber G, Messinger D, Thommes JA, Tietz A. Re-treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C who do not respond to peginterferon-alpha2b: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2009 Apr 21;150(8):528-40. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-150-8-200904210-00007.
• Background Kauppila A, Cantell K, Janne O, Kokko E, Vihko R. Serum sex steroid and peptide hormone concentrations, and endometrial estrogen and progestin receptor levels during administration of human leukocyte interferon. Int J Cancer. 1982 Mar 15;29(3):291-4. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910290311.
• Background Loustaud-Ratti V, Alain S, Rousseau A, Hubert IF, Sauvage FL, Marquet P, Denis F, Lunel F, Cales P, Lefebvre A, Fauchais AL, Liozon E, Vidal E. Ribavirin exposure after the first dose is predictive of sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology. 2008 May;47(5):1453-61. doi: 10.1002/hep.22217.
• Background Maeda Y, Kiribayashi Y, Moriya T, Maruhashi A, Omoda K, Funakoshi S, Murakami T, Takano M. Dosage adjustment of ribavirin based on renal function in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C. Ther Drug Monit. 2004 Feb;26(1):9-15. doi: 10.1097/00007691-200402000-00004.

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