Abstract

Objectives

Japan has one of the highest endemic rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Treatments in Japan are currently limited to interferon-alfa–based regimens, which are associated with tolerability and efficacy issues. A novel regimen combining two oral HCV therapies, daclatasvir and asunaprevir (DCV + ASV), has shown favorable results in Japanese patients with chronic genotype 1b HCV infection. Comparisons of clinical and economic outcomes associated with DCV + ASV treatment and current standards of care were investigated.

Methods

The MOdelling the NAtural histoRy and Cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis cost-effectiveness model projected outcomes in 1000 patients aged 70 years with either chronic hepatitis C or compensated cirrhosis over a lifetime simulation. Japanese-specific disease transition rates were used, and discounting was applied annually at a rate of 2%. Efficacy data for DCV + ASV and telaprevir triple therapy (telaprevir + pegylated interferon-alfa + ribavirin [TVR + pegIFN-α/RBV]) were obtained from a Japanese subgroup analysis found within a global meta-analysis: sustained virological response rates of 74%, 85%, and 87% were reported for null responders (NRs), partial responders (PRs), and interferon-alfa–ineligible/intolerant patients, respectively, treated with DCV + ASV, and rates of 42% and 59% were reported for NRs and PRs, respectively, treated with TVR + pegIFN-α/RBV.

Results

Initiating DCV + ASV treatment in patients in the chronic hepatitis C disease stage resulted in quality-adjusted life-year gains of 0.96 and 0.77 over TVR + pegIFN-α/RBV for NRs and PRs, respectively, and a gain of 2.61 in interferon-alfa–ineligible/intolerant patients over no treatment. Similarly, quality-adjusted life-year gains of 1.11, 0.90, and 3.05 were observed when initiating treatment in patients in the compensated cirrhosis stage. Cumulative lifetime events of decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related mortality were reduced by up to 66, 115, and 128, respectively, with DCV + ASV treatment.

Conclusions

There is a lack of successful therapies for patients with HCV who have previously failed to achieve sustained virological response or are ineligible for interferon-alfa–based therapies. Results demonstrate that the provision of an alternative, interferon-alfa–free regimen, such as DCV + ASV, offers significant value in terms of avoiding life-threatening liver complications and increasing patients’ quality of life.