What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 755 patients with hepatitis c. The study was sponsored by Prisma Health-Upstate and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
Roughly 75% cured in both groups — well above usual real-world rates.
The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology · 2022 · NCT02824640
These findings — that in active people who inject drugs treated with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir — were published in the The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 755 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with hepatitis c, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (Epclusa) is FDA-approved and available now and cures most cases of hepatitis C in 12 weeks. Many opioid treatment programs and harm-reduction clinics now offer it on-site. Ask any addiction medicine doctor or hepatologist about access — Medicare and most state Medicaid programs cover it.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open hepatitis c trials
Feasibility and Acceptability of HCV Treatment in Pregnancy
Pregnant adults over the age of 18 who are seen in the Washington University obstetrics and gynecology, maternal fetal medicine or infectious diseases clinic or admitted to BJH with hepatitis C virus infection who have a history of past or current drug use Participant Duration: Approximately 1 year. Aims: Aim 1 - Evaluate adherence and treatment completion rates when glecaprevir-pibrentasvir is started during pregnancy for women who use drugs. Aim 2 - Evaluate patient experience with hepatitis C virus treatment during pregnancy.
California MEPS Hub
The California Hub for HIV/SUD Prevention Research with Reentry Populations addresses the question: "Can the evidence-based MEPS intervention be adapted and implemented at a range of organizations to effectively serve a wider range of clients?" The Mobile Enhanced Prevention Support (MEPS) intervention was originally implemented in Los Angeles County and was proven successful in promoting biomedical HIV prevention (PrEP) uptake and preventative screenings in people who used drugs who recently left incarceration. MEPS is an evidence-based intervention for people with substance use disorders (SUD) that incorporates a client-centered planning session, including trained peer mentors, service utilization incentives, and a mobile application (GeoPass). The study includes a randomized controlled trial (RCT) across three community partners located in Riverside and Alameda Counties. At least 300 people will be enrolled in these three counties; the first 200 will be randomized to either receive the intervention or usual care, with the final 100 all receiving the intervention. The primary implementation outcome for the study involves using an implementation science framework and assessment tools to examine MEPS's implementation. Key outcomes include how well the implementation strategies used support intervention enrollment and retention, integration with existing services in each partnering community agency, and perceived intervention acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, and maintenance at 6- and 12-months. The primary effectiveness outcome for the study is an increase in HIV testing, PrEP uptake and adherence, and SUD service utilization at 6 months and 12 months in the MEPS compared to the usual care group. Secondary effectiveness outcomes include frequency of service use for SUDs, hepatitis C virus testing, and linkage to care for those who test positive for HIV or hepatitis C.