Pooh,,,I am bringing this to my doctor's attention...and ask him specifically about it...I will ask him with these findings as you stated above...why is he recommending I wait...
I appreciate your advice and will seriously address it with my dr.
Thank your for taking the time to give me the research..really appreciate it....
Millie
"The efficacy of OLYSIO™ in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin is greatly decreased in patients who have Genotype 1a Q80K. Please talk to your doctor about testing for Genotype 1a Q80K and using a different therapy when Genotype 1a Q80K is present."
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That statement is true. However, note that it says, "The efficacy of OLYSIO™ in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin is greatly decreased in patients who have Genotype 1a Q80K."
It is talking about taking Olysio with Riba and Interferon, NOT about taking Olysio with Sofosbuvir.
"A study of an all-oral combination of simeprevir with Gilead's sofosbuvir has shown that the regimen mitigates the effect Q80K has on simeprevir, Gaston Picchio, hepatitis disease area leader at J&J's Janssen unit, said during the meeting."
Note, that the successful combo is an ALL ORAL combo of Sofosbuvir and Olysio.
They are two totally separate treatment regimens.
"Thus Q80K testing can be considered but is not strongly recommended."
There was another line under the above
This regimen should be considered only in those patients who require immediate treatment, because it is anticipated that safer and more effective IFN-free regimens will be available by 2015.
http://www.hcvguidelines.org/full-report/initial-treatment-hcv-infection-patients-starting-treatment
Last updated: March 12, 2014
milliehepc Best wishes for getting the best treatment in the not too distant future. My guess is your doctor is providing the best advice at this time.
That was funny....the conversation....I will have two flies...hepcat and Pooh...but either way...I hope to make the right decision.....its all so overwhelming.
I take everything everyone writes here very seriously....and I will address both opposing if we want to call it opposing views with the Dr. and ask. Doc...what is the plan for me..and when...
Good luck to all...and my most sincere gratitude....
Milie
The first article Pooh listed
http://hepatitiscnewdrugresearch.com/olysiotrade-simeprevir-fda-approved.html
"In the QUEST-1 and QUEST-2 studies, among genotype 1a treatment-naïve patients receiving OLYSIOTM who had the Q80K polymorphism (a naturally occurring variation in the HCV NS3/4A protease enzyme), 58 percent achieved SVR12 versus 84 percent of patients without the Q80K polymorphism."
and
"**A study of an all-oral combination of simeprevir with Gilead's sofosbuvir has shown that the regimen mitigates the effect Q80K has on simeprevir, Gaston Picchio, hepatitis disease area leader at J&J's Janssen unit, said during the meeting."
So this Picchio person mentions a "study" (which one?? when was it?? where's the data??) at a meeting (what meeting??) and using a "combination of simeprevir with Gilead's sofosbuvir has shown that the regimen mitigates the effect Q80K has on simeprevir."
So the regimen takes the 58% SVR rate up to what? 65%?? higher?? lower?? This is murky data at best.
The 2nd link by Pooh, http://www.hepmag.com/articles/sofosbuvir_simeprevir_2501_24726.shtml
This article doesn't even mention resistance or Q80K. Everyone knows that Olysio and Sovaldi are effective without the presence of the Q80K polymorphism as this article states, but Milliehepc has Q80K. That changes things.
Pamelajean doesn't list her sources so I can't check that data.
IMO, taking Olysio when you've got Q80K, even with Sofosbuvir is not a good idea. I have seen no data that convinces me otherwise.
OK I guess that's it for me...
HC
Yep Milliehepc, your doc's opinion (and yours) are the only ones that count.
See what he thinks and talk it over with him. Good luck with your decision.