How effective is Epclusa? What disease does it treat?
Epclusa is a compound formulation composed of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, specifically designed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in adults. It covers all six major genotypes and has pan genotype antiviral activity.
1 Core Indications
(1) Chronic hepatitis C: treatment applicable to all genotypes (1-6) of HCV infection, regardless of whether accompanied by cirrhosis.
(2) Special populations: including HIV/HCV co infected individuals, recurrent infections after liver transplantation, and compensated/decompensated cirrhosis patients.
2. Mechanism of action
(1) Sofosbuvir: an NS5B polymerase inhibitor that works by blocking viral RNA replication.
(2) Vepatasvir: an NS5A inhibitor that interferes with virus assembly and release processes, and the two work together to achieve efficient antiviral effects.
3 treatment advantages
(1) Pan genotype coverage: A single prescription can address all HCV genotypes, simplifying the testing and treatment process.
(2) High cure rate: Clinical studies have shown an overall sustained virological response rate (SVR12) of over 95%.
(3) Good safety: Common adverse reactions are only mild headache and fatigue, with a low incidence of serious side effects.
4 Overall treatment effect
(1) For all genotypes of HCV infection, the sustained virological response rate (SVR12) of Jisanda 12 week course can reach over 95%.
(2) For patients without cirrhosis, some genotypes can achieve 8-week short course treatment with comparable efficacy.
5 Special Population Effects
(1) Patients with compensatory cirrhosis still maintain SVR12 above 90%, but the treatment course needs to be extended to 12-16 weeks.
(2) The efficacy of HIV co infection is comparable to that of HCV infection alone, and there is no need to adjust the medication regimen.
6 Factors Affecting Therapeutic Efficacy
(1) The baseline viral load has no significant effect on the final cure rate.
(2) Patients who have failed previous treatments can still obtain over 80% SVR12 by switching to Jisanda.
7 Treatment Monitoring Indicators
(1) A decrease in viral load of ≥ 2log10 after 4 weeks of treatment indicates good therapeutic efficacy.
(2) If HCVRNA is not detected within 12 weeks after the end of treatment, it is considered cured.
8. Comparison with other schemes
(1) The cure rate is about 40% higher than the traditional interferon regimen, and adverse reactions are significantly reduced.
(2) Compared to other DAA drugs, Jisanda has a broader spectrum of antiviral coverage.
Disclaimer：《How effective is Epclusa? What disease does it treat?》Edited and sorted by Seagull Pharmacy's editors. Please contact us in time if there is any infringement. In addition, the suggestions for drug usage, dosage and disease mentioned in the article are only for medical staff's reference, and can not be used as any basis for medication！