Title:Dasabuvir: A Non-Nucleoside Inhibitor of NS5B for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection
VOLUME: 9 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Ivan Gentile, Antonio R. Buonomo and Guglielmo Borgia
Affiliation:Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery (Ed. 18) – University of Naples "Federico II", via S. Pansini 5, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
Keywords:Dasabuvir, ABT-450, ABT-072, ombitasvir, HCV, interferon-free, pegylated-interferon, resistance, ribavirin.
Abstract:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects about 2% of the world’s population. Approximately a quarter of
these patients will develop, during their life, liver cirrhosis, which entails a high risk of complications and death. Successful
antiviral therapy can reduce the risk of disease progression, but it is feasible only in a minority of patients because it
includes interferon which is contraindicated in the most advanced stages of the disease and in patients with severe impairment
of other organs. Consequent to the launch of the first direct antiviral agents (DAA), namely the protease inhibitors
telaprevir and boceprevir, several molecules are in an advanced phase of clinical development to be used in association
with interferon or with other DAA (in interferon-free combinations). This review focuses on the mechanism of action,
pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety and resistance of dasabuvir, a non-nucleoside inhibitor of NS5B viral RNA-dependent
RNA polymerase. Thanks to its pharmacokinetics, dasabuvir can be administered twice daily. In combinations with other
oral DAAs, dasabuvir results in very high rates of SVR (about 95%) in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection with a
good tolerability and safety. In conclusion, dasabuvir is a good agent to be used in interferon-free combinations for the
treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
