"Significant Unmet Needs" Remain in Hepatitis C

Although recent years have seen a revolution in the hepatitis C space, as interferon-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combination therapies have started replacing interferon-based therapies, a number of considerable unmet needs remain, according GBI Research.

The company’s latest report emphasises that although the proportion of hepatitis C patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate DAA combination therapies is small, as over 90% can now be cured within 3–6 months, a failure rate of even 5% may still leave up to 10 million people with unmet needs due to the high prevalence. In addition, it is estimated that 1-2% of people who reach a sustained virologic response may experience a subsequent relapse over a 4-5 year period.

The need to develop drugs for non-responsive and relapsing patients means the hepatitis C space is a commercially attractive one, reports GBI. Currently, the hepatitis C pipeline is relatively active, with 198 products in development, and differs significantly from the market landscape, which is dominated by interferon immune mediators and ribavirin products.

See the report here.