title: Efficacy of telaprevir-based therapy for difficult-to-treat patients with genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the efficacy and safety of telaprevir in combination with peginterferon-α-2b (PEG IFN) and ribavirin (RBV), for Japanese difficult-to-treat patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 who had not achieved sustained virological response (SVR) during prior treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 108 relapsed (median age, 59.0 years) and 10 non-responding (median age, 59.0 years) patients with genotype 2 HCV participated. Patients received telaprevir (750 mg, every 8 h) for 12 weeks and PEG IFN/RBV for 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SVR rates for relapsers and non-responders were 88.0% (95/108) and 50.0% (5/10), respectively. The SVR rates did not differ significantly between patients with rs8099917 TT and non-TT. The SVR rates for relapsers and non-responders with extended rapid viral response (eRVR) were 97.6% (82/84) and 100% (5/5), respectively. On the other hand, the SVR rates for relapsers and non-responders completing the treatment protocol were 98.4% (61/62) and 100% (5/5), respectively. The overall safety profiles of telaprevir-based regimens were similar for Japanese patients with genotype 1 and 2 HCV infection who experienced treatment failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telaprevir, in combination with PEG IFN/RBV, provided a high SVR rate for genotype 2 HCV, difficult-to-treat patients who had not achieved SVR during prior IFN-based treatment. The eRVR had a strong influence on the cure rate of telaprevir-based therapy. In addition, the continuation of telaprevir-based treatment for up to 24 weeks was a significant predictor of SVR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Kyushu Medical Center, National Hospital Organization, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishigami
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sapporo Kosei General Hospital, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Joji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toyota
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Development Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakayasu
authors.affiliation: Development Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Miyoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.affiliation: Development Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ichimaro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okanoue
keywords: genotype 2; peginterferon; ribavirin; sustained virological response; telaprevir; treatment failure