The FDA has approved Zepatier (Merck), a fixed-dose combination of two direct-acting antiviral agents — elbasvir, an NS5A inhibitor, and grazoprevir, an NS3/4A protease inhibitor — for oral treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 or 4 infection.

HCV GENOTYPES — Genotype 1 is responsible for 70-80% of HCV infections in the US. Genotype 4 is uncommon in the US and Canada; it is the most prevalent strain of HCV in Central sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East.1

FIXED-DOSE COMBINATIONS — Zepatier is the third all-oral, interferon-free, fixed-dose combination to be approved for treatment of infections with HCV genotypes 1 and 4. The combination of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (Harvoni) was approved for HCV genotype 1 infection in 20142 and for genotypes 4, 5, and 6 ... more      

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