What is the drug sofosbuvir used for?
What is the drug sofosbuvir used for?
Sofosbuvir is used along with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere, others) and sometimes another medication (peginterferon alfa [Pegasys]) to treat certain types of chronic hepatitis C (an ongoing viral infection that damages the liver) in adults.
Can sofosbuvir be used alone?
Sofosbuvir must be used in combination treatment to have the best effect. Do not use sofosbuvir alone to treat hepatitis C.
Is sofosbuvir an antibiotic?
SOFOSBUVIR; VELPATASVIR (soe fos’ bue veer; vel pat’ us veer) is an antiviral medicine. It is used with other medicines to treat hepatitis C. It will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
Does sofosbuvir cure hep C?
Sofosbuvir is effective for treating infection with HCV genotype 1,2,3, or 4, and in clinical trials, 50% to 90% of individuals treated with the drug cleared the hepatitis C virus from their blood.
How much does sofosbuvir cost?
Sofosbuvir (Sovaldi): This medication costs $1,000 per 400 mg pill. The total cost for a 12-week course is around $84,000, and doctors will typically prescribe it with other medicines, such as simeprevir.
How long do you take sofosbuvir?
Adults—One tablet once a day, taken for 12 weeks. Each tablet contains sofosbuvir 400 milligrams (mg) and velpatasvir 100 mg. Children 3 years of age and older or weighing at least 30 kilograms (kg)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
What are the side effects of sofosbuvir?
Common side effects of Sovaldi include:
- fatigue,
- headache,
- nausea,
- insomnia,
- itching,
- anemia,
- weakness,
- rash,
Is sofosbuvir a biologic?
In December of 2013, Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) and Olysio (simeprevir) were approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The chemical composition of both Sovaldi and Olysio are different than traditional medications in that they are biologics.
Can hepatitis be cured permanently?
There’s no cure for hepatitis B. The good news is it usually goes away by itself in 4 to 8 weeks. More than 9 out of 10 adults who get hepatitis B totally recover. However, about 1 in 20 people who get hepatitis B as adults become “carriers,” which means they have a chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B infection.
Can Hepatitis be cured permanently?
How long does it take for your liver to heal after hep C treatment?
If someone’s liver has mild to moderate damage (fibrosis) and the hepatitis C virus is eliminated and no other liver damage effects are occurring, the liver can regenerate and heal within a few days up to 3-6 months, approximately.
Why is sofosbuvir a prodrug?
Mechanism of action. Sofosbuvir inhibits the hepatitis C NS5B protein. Sofosbuvir appears to have a high barrier to the development of resistance. Sofosbuvir is a prodrug of the Protide type, whereby the active phosphorylated nucleotide is granted cell permeability and oral bioavailability.
Can the liver repair itself after hepatitis?
Barring complications, the liver can repair itself completely and, within a month, the patient will show no signs of damage. However, sometimes the liver gets overwhelmed and can’t repair itself completely, especially if it’s still under attack from a virus, drug, or alcohol.
What kills hep C?
Bleach kills HCV nearly all the time, and there are other cleaners or disinfectants you can use, too, that also work against the virus. Bleach: Bleach has been shown to kill HCV in more than 99% of contaminated syringes.