Trial finds new drug safe and effective in treating Hep-C during pregnancy

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Critics of the new recommendation to screen all pregnant women for hepatitis C — a lifelong infection that attacks the liver — argue that it’s wasteful to test for a disease among a population that can’t be treated, but results of a small phase I clinical trial at Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) suggest otherwise: pregnancy could be an excellent time to diagnose and cure hepatitis C infection.

The results of the trial, published today in The Lancet Microbe, show that the antiviral drug cocktail ledipasvir/sofosbuvir resulted in 100% hepatitis C cure rate among nine pregnant volunteers, and none of their babies contracted the virus. The babies all developed normally and had no apparent adverse effects from the medication. 

“People worry about the risk of antivirals on the baby but don’t consider the psychosocial opportunity of pregnancy,” said lead author Catherine Chappell, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and MWRI. “Pregnancy is a time when women are regularly engaged in health care and motivated to make positive changes to support their growing families. It could be a window of opportunity for these women to get a fresh start, infection-free, both for their own health and the health of their babies.” 

https://www.newswise.com/articles/trial-finds-drug-safe-and-effective-in-treating-hep-c-during-pregnancy