FDA Approves AbbVie's Once Daily Chronic Hepatitis C Treatment

AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a New Drug Application (NDA) for VIEKIRA XR (dasabuvir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir) extended-release tablets. VIEKIRA XR is a once-daily, extended-release co-formulation of the active ingredients in VIEKIRA PAK (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir tablets; dasabuvir tablets) and is for the treatment of patients with chronic genotype 1 (GT1) hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, including those with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A). VIEKIRA XR is not for people with decompensated cirrhosis.

VIEKIRA XR is the first co-formulated three direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for adult patients with GT1 HCV. VIEKIRA XR is given once-daily as three oral tablets and must be taken with a meal. It is used without ribavirin (RBV) in GT1b patients and in combination with twice daily RBV in GT1a patients. The approval is supported by Phase 3 clinical trials for VIEKIRA PAK which include data that demonstrated 100 percent sustained virologic response 12 weeks following treatment (SVR₁₂) in GT1b patients with 12 weeks of therapy without ribavirin and 95 percent SVR₁₂ in GT1a patients when used with ribavirin for 12 or 24 weeks of therapy.

“AbbVie’s work continues to contribute to the transformation of hepatitis C care through our focus on evolving our current therapies as part of our ongoing commitment to patients,” said Rob Scott, M.D., vice president, development and chief medical officer, AbbVie. “The approval of VIEKIRA XR provides a new treatment option for genotype 1 hepatitis C patients in the U.S. with clinical trial data using the components of VIEKIRA XR demonstrating 100 percent cure rates in genotype 1b patients.”

There are six major HCV genotypes (GT1-6) and GT1 is the most prevalent form of HCV in the U.S., accounting for approximately 74 percent of all cases. Hepatitis C continues to be an important public health issue, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that in the U.S. approximately 2.7 million people are chronically infected with HCV.

The approval of VIEKIRA XR is supported by data from seven Phase 3 clinical trials in more than 2,300 patients who received VIEKIRA PAK with or without RBV for 12 or 24 weeks and two bioavailability studies comparing the formulations.