New hepatitis C drug launched

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A new hepatitis C drug has been launched in the UK, the first treatment to directly target the virus.
In clinical trials, nearly three times more patients with chronic hepatitis were cleared of the virus after being treated with Victrelis in combination with standard treatment compared with standard treatment alone.
Around 216,000 people in the UK have chronic hepatitis, caused by the blood-borne hepatitis C virus, and many are unaware they are infected. A chronic infection can ultimately lead to serious liver damage such as such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
The virus is spread through contact with infected blood. Injecting drug users are at high risk of infection through sharing needles.
Unsterilised needles used in tattoo parlours or in body piercing can transmit the virus. People can also become infected by sharing a razor or toothbrush with an infected person.
The new drug has also been shown to be effective against the most common strain of hepatitis C virus in the UK, which affects between 40 and 50 per cent of all patients. The strain is also the most difficult to treat.
Victrelis belongs to a class of drugs known as protease inhibitors. The drug, manufactured by MSD, works by binding to a viral enzyme, preventing the virus from multiplying.
The reported side effects of taking the drug in combination with standard treatment include nausea, headache, anaemia, taste problems and fatigue.