A combination of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Daklinza (daclatasvir) and Gilead Sciences’ Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) more effectively cures hepatitis C virus (HCV) among those coinfected with HIV than does Sovaldi and ribavirin, Monthly Prescribing Reference reports. Researchers conducted a systematic literature review of the Phase III trials of coinfected individuals, including ALLY-2, which tested Daklinza and Sovaldi, and PHOTON-1 and PHOTON-2, which tested Sovaldi and ribavirin.

The researchers pooled data from the trials, excluding certain participants in order to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics between the cohorts.

They found that, after adjusting the pool, the rate of those who achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completing therapy (SVR12, considered a cure) following 12 weeks of Daklinza and Sovaldi was 99.99 percent. By comparison, the cure rate after 12 weeks of Sovaldi and ribavirin was 84.6 percent. Those who took Daklinza and Sovaldi had lower rates of also stopping therapy because of adverse side effects and had lower rates of specific side effects such as cough, diarrhea and insomnia.

To read the Monthly Prescribing Reference report, click here.