Elbasvir/Grazoprevir in People With Hepatitis C Genotype 1 Infection and Child-Pugh Class B Cirrhosis: The C-SALT Study

Treatment options are limited for people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) with decompensated liver disease. The C-SALT study assessed elbasvir (EBR) plus grazoprevir (GZR) in individuals with HCV genotype 1 infection and Child-Pugh class B (CP-B) cirrhosis. METHODS: In this 12-week, phase 2, nonrandomized, open-label study (NCT02115321; Protocol MK-5172-059), participants with CP-B cirrhosis received EBR 50 mg plus GZR 50 mg once daily, and a control group of noncirrhotic participants received EBR 50 mg plus GZR 100 mg once daily. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of therapy. RESULTS: Sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after the end of therapy was achieved by 27/30 (90.0%) CP-B participants and 10/10 (100.0%) noncirrhotic participants. Two participants relapsed, and one died during follow-up after having undetectable HCV RNA at the end of treatment. Most CP-B participants had stable or improved model for end-stage liver disease and Child-Pugh scores at follow-up week 12 compared with baseline. There was no significant difference in drug exposure between groups, despite the differing GZR dose. Adverse events occurring in >10% of participants were fatigue (CP-B: 30.0%; noncirrhotic: 30.0%), arthralgia (16.7%; 20.0%), nausea (10.0%; 20.0%), and headache (10.0%; 50.0%). No serious treatment-related adverse events or hepatic events of clinical interest occurred. CONCLUSIONS: EBR 50 mg plus GZR 50 mg once daily for 12 weeks was highly effective and well tolerated in a traditionally hard-to-treat population. TRANSLATIONAL IMPACT: Although EBR plus reduced-dose GZR is not available for people with CP-B cirrhosis, these results complement phase 2/3 trial data and real-world experience with EBR/GZR.