NICE says yes to new hepatitis C drug from Merck & Co

In draft guidance issued today, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is recommending Zepatier (elbasvir-grazoprevir) as an option to treat certain types of hepatitis C.

Elbasvir-grazoprevir, developed by US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) which trades in the UK as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), is used to treat chronic hepatitis C in adults with genotypes 1a, 1b or 4. It works by blocking two proteins that cause the virus to multiply and infect new cells,noted the medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales.

In trials, elbasvir-grazoprevir had cure rates above 90% for people with hepatitis C genotypes 1 and 4. The cure rate of the drug depends on the genotype, treatment history and presence of liver damage. As elbasvir-grazoprevir was just as effective as similar treatments that are already available, the NICE appraisal committee concluded that it should be routinely available on the National Health Service.