Current progress in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Figure 2 Treatment algorithms of telaprevir-based regimens for genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C virus patients recommended by both the European Medicines Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. All patients should start directly with the triple combination of telaprevir (TPV) plus pegylated interferon-alfa and ribavirin (PR). The triple combination should always last 12 wk. In treatment-naïve or previous relapser patients without cirrhosis who achieve an extended rapid virological response (eRVR) [undetectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA (< 10 IU/mL) at 4 and 12 wk], triple therapy is followed by 12 wk of PR. In contrast, in non-cirrhotic treatment-naïve or relapser patients without an eRVR as well as in all cirrhotics or previous partial and null responders, triple therapy is followed by 36 wk of PR. Treatment should be discontinued for inefficacy if HCV RNA levels are > 1000 IU/mL at 4 or 12 wk or if HCV RNA is detectable at 24 or 36 wk of therapy.