Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection previously treated with NS5A direct-acting antivirals: a real-world multicenter cohort in Taiwan

Background Real-world data are scarce about the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX) for retreating East Asian patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who previously received NS5A direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). We conducted a multicenter study to assess the performance of SOF/VEL/VOX in patients who were not responsive to prior NS5A inhibitors in Taiwan. Methods Between September 2021 and May 2022, 107 patients who failed NS5A inhibitor-containing DAAs with SOF/VEL/VOX salvage therapy for 12 weeks were included at 16 academic centers. The sustained virologic response at off-treatment week 12 (SVR 12 ) was assessed in the evaluable (EP) and per-protocol (PP) populations. The safety profiles were also reported. Results All patients completed 12 weeks of treatment and achieved an end-of-treatment virologic response. The SVR 12 rates were 97.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 92.1–99.0%) and 100% (95% CI 96.4–100%) in EP and PP populations. Three (2.8%) patients were lost to off-treatment follow-up and did not meet SVR 12 in the EP population. No baseline factors predicted SVR 12 . Two (1.9%) not-fatal serious adverse events (AE) occurred but were unrelated to SOF/VEL/VOX. Sixteen (15.0%) had grade 2 total bilirubin elevation, and three (2.8%) had grade 2 alanine transaminase (ALT) elevation. Thirteen (81.3%) of the 16 patients with grade 2 total bilirubin elevation had unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were comparable between baseline and SVR 12 , regardless of baseline renal reserve. Conclusions SOF/VEL/VOX is highly efficacious and well-tolerated for East Asian HCV patients previously treated with NS5A inhibitor-containing DAAs. Clinical trials registration The study was not a drug trial. There was no need for clinical trial registration.