MK-5172/MK-8742 in Subjects with HCV/HIV Co-Infection

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A Phase III Open-Label Clinical Trial to Study the Efficacy and Safety of the Combination Regimen of MK-5172/MK-8742 in Treatment-Naïve Subjects with Chronic HCV GT1, GT4, GT5, and GT6 Infection who are Co-Infected with HIV

  • IRAS ID

    153110

  • Contact name

    Chloe Orkin

  • Contact email

    chloe.orkin@bartshealth.nhs.uk

  • Eudract number

    2014-000342-30

  • Research summary

    Chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver disease. Threequarters of infected people will develop long term infection which can lead to severe liver damage and the need for liver transplantation.

    HCV infection is a leading cause of death among those with HIV-1. Compared to the general population, the overall prevalence of HCV infection is higher among those infected with HIV-1 and have poorer prognosis with progression of liver disease.

    Recent advances in HCV treatment has led to the approval of several medicines, called direct acting antivirals (DAA). The effectiveness of treatments for patients with HCV vary according to hepatitis C genotypes (HCV with slightly different genetic makeup) and prior treatments, DAAs need to be used in combination with licenced drugs called pegylated-interferon and ribavirin (PR). Although DAAs + PR are effective, many patients cannot tolerate the side effects of PR or length of treatment and thus removal of PR from the backbone of DAA therapy, together with decreasing the length of treatment would be a significant advantage.

    MK5172 and MK8742 are two DAAs developed by Merck for the treatment of HCV which together in combination with PR or ribavirin alone have been shown to clear the HCV virus from the blood after 12 weeks of treatment in patients with HCV genotype 1.

    This study aims to test the effectiveness and safety of MK5172A, a fixed dose combination tablet (FDC) comprising of MK5172 and MK8742 taken for 12 weeks in patients infected with HCV genotype 1, 4, 5 or 6 and have HIV co-infection. Patients must be naive to HCV treatment.

    About 200 patients will take part in this study. The study will be test the efficacy of MK5172A as determined by virus levels in the blood 12 weeks after completing treatment.

    The study will take place at 2 UK hospitals.

  • REC name

    London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    14/LO/0667

  • Date of REC Opinion

    9 Jun 2014

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion