New and recently EMA/FDA approved direct acting antiviral (DAA) combination therapies cure 95% or more of the patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 1 and 4. Grazoprevir (MK-5172) and elbasvir (MK-8742) combination therapy is such a, albeit not yet EMA/FDA approved combination DAA therapy.
It is likely that the synergistic effect of the host's immune response and antiviral therapy when given during the first 6 months of HCV infection makes antiviral therapy during acute HCV infection more effective. In this study the investigators would like to document that treatment of acute HCV with grazoprevir (MK-5172), elbasvir (MK-8742) is effective and can ben shortened from 12 to 8 weeks for HCV genotype 1 and 4 infection without substantial loss in efficacy.
Study design and intervention:
Prospective open label interventional clinical trial in which 80 acute HCV genotype 1 or 4 patients co-infected with HIV will receive 8 weeks of grazoprevir and elbasvir (a once-daily combination tablet).
Study population:
80 Adult HIV positive patients with an acute HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection from 10 HIV treatment centers in the Netherlands and Belgium will be included.
Primary endpoint: Sustained viral response (SVR) 12 weeks after the end of therapy in ITT study population (=genotype 1 and 4).
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. HIV positive
. Acute HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection (≤26 weeks old at the baseline visit)
Exclusion criteria
. Not on cART and a CD4 \<500 at the time of screening
. Patients on cART for \>6 months with a HIV viral load \>400 copies
. Disallowed co-medication that cannot be stopped or replaced
. History of liver cirrhosis of any etiology. Inclusion of patients with a chronic well-controlled HBV (HBV-DNA \<below the limit of detection) is allowed if fibroscan excludes \>F1 fibrosis
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
. Protease inhibitor based and NNRTI based cART regimens are not allowed. Therefore, the inability to switch to a HAART regimen consisting of 2 nucleoside/tide reverse transcriptase inhibitors and an allowed third agent which can be raltegravir (Isentress®) 400mg BID, dolutegravir (Tivicay) 50mg QD or rilpivirine 25mg QD.