Blocking NS3-NS4B interaction inhibits dengue virus in non-human primates.

Dengue is a major health threat and the number of symptomatic infections caused by the four dengue serotypes is estimated to be 96 million1 with annually around 10,000 deaths2. However, no antiviral drugs are available for the treatment or prophylaxis of dengue. We recently described the interaction between non-structural proteins NS3 and NS4B as a promising target for the development of pan-serotype dengue virus (DENV) inhibitors3. Here we present JNJ-1802-a highly potent DENV inhibitor that blocks the NS3-NS4B interaction within the viral replication complex. JNJ-1802 exerts picomolar to low nanomolar in vitro antiviral activity, a high barrier to resistance and potent in vivo efficacy in mice against infection with any of the four DENV serotypes. Finally, we demonstrate that the small-molecule inhibitor JNJ-1802 is highly effective against viral infection with DENV-1 or DENV-2 in non-human primates. JNJ-1802 has successfully completed a phase I first-in-human clinical study in healthy volunteers and was found to be safe and well tolerated4. These findings support the further clinical development of JNJ-1802, a first-in-class antiviral agent against dengue, which is now progressing in clinical studies for the prevention and treatment of dengue.

Development and optimization of a high-throughput screening assay for in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity: Evaluation of 5676 Phase 1 Passed Structures.

Although vaccines are currently used to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, treatment options are urgently needed for those who cannot be vaccinated and for future outbreaks involving new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains or coronaviruses not covered by current vaccines. Thus far, few existing antivirals are known to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 and clinically successful against COVID-19. As part of an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a high-throughput, high content imaging-based SARS-CoV-2 infection assay was developed in VeroE6 African green monkey kidney epithelial cells expressing a stable enhanced green fluorescent protein (VeroE6-eGFP cells) and was used to screen a library of 5676 compounds that passed Phase 1 clinical trials. Eight drugs (nelfinavir, RG-12915, itraconazole, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, sematilide, remdesivir, and doxorubicin) were identified as inhibitors of in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in VeroE6-eGFP and/or Caco-2 cell lines. However, apart from remdesivir, toxicity and pharmacokinetic data did not support further clinical development of these compounds for COVID-19 treatment.

Week 96 resistance analyses of the once-daily, single-tablet regimen (STR) darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (D/C/F/TAF) in adults living with HIV-1 from the phase 3 randomized AMBER and EMERALD trials.

In AMBER and EMERALD, darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (D/C/F/TAF) 800/150/200/10 mg demonstrated high virological response and low virological failure (VF) through week 96. Week 96 resistance analyses are presented. Post-baseline samples for genotyping/phenotyping were analyzed from protocol-defined-VFs with viral load (VL) ≥ 400 copies/ml at failure/later time points. Post-hoc analyses were deep sequencing (AMBER) and HIV-1 proviral DNA sequencing from baseline samples (VL < 50 copies/ml) (EMERALD). Through week 96 across studies, no darunavir, primary protease inhibitor (PI), or tenofovir resistance-associated-mutations (RAMs) occurred in patients continuing (N = 1125) or switching to D/C/F/TAF (N = 715). M184I/V (emtricitabine RAM) was detected in one patient in each arm of AMBER. In EMERALD D/C/F/TAF patients with prior VF and baseline genoarchive data (N = 98), 4% had darunavir RAMs, 36% emtricitabine RAMs, mainly at position 184 (32%), 4% tenofovir RAMs, and 19% ≥3 thymidine-analogue-associated-mutations at screening. The predicted phenotype showed 0% had reduced susceptibility to darunavir, 37% to emtricitabine, and 22% to tenofovir. All achieved VL < 50 copies/ml at week 96/prior discontinuation, with no VF. D/C/F/TAF has a high barrier to resistance; no darunavir, primary PI, or tenofovir RAMs occurred through 96 weeks in AMBER and EMERALD. In EMERALD, baseline archived darunavir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir RAMs in patients with prior VF did not preclude virologic response.

In vitro activity of itraconazole against SARS-CoV-2.

Although vaccination campaigns are currently being rolled out to prevent coronavirus disease (COVID-19), antivirals will remain an important adjunct to vaccination. Antivirals against coronaviruses do not exist, hence global drug repurposing efforts have been carried out to identify agents that may provide clinical benefit to patients with COVID-19. Itraconazole, an antifungal agent, has been reported to have activity against animal coronaviruses. Using cell-based phenotypic assays, the in vitro antiviral activity of itraconazole and 17-OH itraconazole was assessed against clinical isolates from a German and Belgian patient infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Itraconazole demonstrated antiviral activity in human Caco-2 cells (EC50 = 2.3 µM; 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay). Similarly, its primary metabolite, 17-OH itraconazole, showed inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 activity (EC50 = 3.6 µM). Remdesivir inhibited viral replication with an EC50 = 0.4 µM. Itraconazole and 17-OH itraconazole resulted in a viral yield reduction in vitro of approximately 2-log10 and approximately 1-log10 , as measured in both Caco-2 cells and VeroE6-eGFP cells, respectively. The viral yield reduction brought about by remdesivir or GS-441524 (parent nucleoside of the antiviral prodrug remdesivir; positive control) was more pronounced, with an approximately 3-log10 drop and >4-log10 drop in Caco-2 cells and VeroE6-eGFP cells, respectively. Itraconazole and 17-OH itraconazole exert in vitro low micromolar activity against SARS-CoV-2. Despite the in vitro antiviral activity, itraconazole did not result in a beneficial effect in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a clinical study (EudraCT Number: 2020-001243-15).

Virology analysis of chronic hepatitis B virus-infected patients treated for 28 days with JNJ-56136379 monotherapy.

Four weeks of once-daily oral JNJ-56136379 (JNJ-6379; 25, 75, 150 or 250 mg), a class-N capsid assembly modulator (CAM-N), was well tolerated with potent antiviral activity in treatment-naïve, chronic hepatitis B e antigen-positive and hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients (NCT02662712). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome sequence analysis, using HBV DNA next-generation sequence technology, was performed, and impact of substitutions on efficacy was assessed. Analyses focused on HBV core protein amino acid positions associated with JNJ-6379 and/or other CAMs in vitro resistance, and those within the CAM-binding pocket. 31/57 patients had ≥ 1 polymorphism at any of the core amino acid positions of interest, most frequently at positions 38 (32%), 105 (23%) and 109 (14%). None of these polymorphisms are known to reduce JNJ-6379 in vitro activity (fold change [FC] in 50% effective concentration <3.0). Two JNJ-6379-treated patients carried a Y118F baseline core polymorphism known to reduce JNJ-6379 activity in vitro (FC = 6.6) and had HBV DNA declines of 2.77 (75 mg) and 2.19 log10 IU/mL (150 mg) at the end of treatment. One 75 mg JNJ-6379-treated patient had an emerging T109S substitution (FC = 1.8; HBV DNA decline 3.18 log10 IU/mL). A 25 mg JNJ-6379-treated patient had on-treatment enrichment of Y118F variant (HBV DNA decline 2.13 log10 IU/mL). In conclusion, baseline polymorphisms and enrichment of substitutions reducing JNJ-6379 in vitro activity were rare, with no consistent impact on virological response during a 4-week phase 1b study. Emergence of resistance to longer treatments of JNJ-6379 will be evaluated in phase 2 studies.

Virology analysis in HCV genotype 1-infected patients treated with the combination of simeprevir and TMC647055/ritonavir, with and without ribavirin, and JNJ-56914845.

BACKGROUND: In study TMC647055HPC2001, a 3-direct-acting-antiviral (DAA) regimen combining NS3/4A protease inhibitor simeprevir (SMV), non-nucleoside NS5B inhibitor TMC647055/ritonavir (RTV) and NS5A inhibitor JNJ-56914845 resulted in high sustained virologic response 12 weeks after actual end of treatment (SVR12) in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1-infected patients. SVR12 rates were generally lower in the 2-DAA regimen SMV + TMC647055/RTV with or without ribavirin. The objective of this study was to identify and characterise pre-existing and emerging resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in patients enrolled in study TMC647055HPC2001. METHODS: HCV population sequencing analyses were performed on baseline isolates from all patients (n = 90) and post-baseline isolates from patients with virologic failure (n = 22). In addition, deep sequencing and phenotypic analyses were performed on selected baseline and post-baseline isolates. RESULTS: The majority of patients with virologic failure had emerging RAVs to all study drugs at the time of failure: in all 22 patients SMV RAVs emerged at NS3 positions 80, 155, 156 and/or 168, consistent with the known SMV resistance profile. Emerging TMC647055 RAVs at NS5B position 495 were detected in the majority of patients (16/22), and all 5 patients who failed the 3-DAA regimen had emerging JNJ-56914845 RAVs at NS5A positions 30 and/or 31. While at the end of study emerging SMV and TMC647055 RAVs were no longer observed by population sequencing in 40% (8/20) and 62.5% (10/16) of patients with follow-up data available, respectively, emerging JNJ-56914845 RAVs were still detected in all (5/5) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Virologic failure in the 2- and 3-DAA combinations was, in the majority of patients, associated with the emergence of RAVs to all study drugs. While emerging SMV and TMC647055 RAVs became undetectable during follow-up, JNJ-56914845 RAVs in NS5A were still observed at end of study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01724086 (date of registration: September 26, 2012).

Deep sequencing analysis of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase at baseline and time of failure in patients receiving rilpivirine in the phase III studies ECHO and THRIVE.

Minority variants (1.0-25.0%) were evaluated by deep sequencing (DS) at baseline and virological failure (VF) in a selection of antiretroviral treatment-naïve, HIV-1-infected patients from the rilpivirine ECHO/THRIVE phase III studies. Linkage between frequently emerging resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) was determined. DS (llIumina®) and population sequencing (PS) results were available at baseline for 47 VFs and time of failure for 48 VFs; and at baseline for 49 responders matched for baseline characteristics. Minority mutations were accurately detected at frequencies down to 1.2% of the HIV-1 quasispecies. No baseline minority rilpivirine RAMs were detected in VFs; one responder carried 1.9% F227C. Baseline minority mutations associated with resistance to other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) were detected in 8/47 VFs (17.0%) and 7/49 responders (14.3%). Baseline minority nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) RAMs M184V and L210W were each detected in one VF (none in responders). At failure, two patients without NNRTI RAMs by PS carried minority rilpivirine RAMs K101E and/or E138K; and five additional patients carried other minority NNRTI RAMs V90I, V106I, V179I, V189I, and Y188H. Overall at failure, minority NNRTI RAMs and NRTI RAMs were found in 29/48 (60.4%) and 16/48 VFs (33.3%), respectively. Linkage analysis showed that E138K and K101E were usually not observed on the same viral genome. In conclusion, baseline minority rilpivirine RAMs and other NNRTI/NRTI RAMs were uncommon in the rilpivirine arm of the ECHO and THRIVE studies. DS at failure showed emerging NNRTI resistant minority variants in seven rilpivirine VFs who had no detectable NNRTI RAMs by PS.

Virology analyses of HCV isolates from genotype 1-infected patients treated with simeprevir plus peginterferon/ribavirin in Phase IIb/III studies.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Simeprevir is an oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor approved for treatment of chronic HCV infection. Baseline NS3 polymorphisms in all patients and emerging mutations in patients who failed to achieve sustained virologic response (SVR) with simeprevir plus peginterferon/ribavirin (PR) in Phase IIb/III studies are described. METHODS: Baseline sequencing data were available for 2007 genotype 1 (GT1)-infected patients. Post-baseline data were available for 197/245 simeprevir-treated patients who did not achieve SVR. In vitro simeprevir susceptibility was assessed in a transient replicon assay as site-directed mutants or in chimeric replicons with patient-derived NS3 protease sequences. RESULTS: Baseline NS3 polymorphisms at positions associated with reduced in vitro susceptibility to simeprevir (43, 80, 122, 155, 156, and/or 168; EC50 fold change >2.0) were uncommon (1.3% [26/2007]), with the exception of Q80K, which confers ∼10-fold reduction in simeprevir activity in vitro (13.7% [274/2007]; GT1a 29.5% [269/911], GT1b 0.5% [5/1096]). Baseline Q80K had minor effect on initial response to simeprevir/PR, but resulted in lower SVR rates. Overall, 91.4% of simeprevir-treated patients [180/197] without SVR had emerging mutations at NS3 positions 80, 122, 155, and/or 168 at failure (mainly R155K in GT1a with and without Q80K, and D168V in GT1b), conferring high-level resistance in vitro (EC50 fold change >50). Emerging mutations were no longer detectable by population sequencing at study end in 50% [90/180] of patients (median follow-up 28.4weeks). CONCLUSIONS: Simeprevir treatment failure was usually associated with emerging high-level resistance mutations, which became undetectable over time in half of the patients.

In Vitro Activity of Simeprevir against Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 Clinical Isolates and Its Correlation with NS3 Sequence and Site-Directed Mutants.

Simeprevir (TMC435) is a once-daily, single-pill, oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitor approved for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. Phenotypic characterization of baseline isolates and isolates from HCV genotype 1-infected patients failing with a simeprevir-based regimen was performed using chimeric replicons carrying patient-derived NS3 protease sequences. Cutoff values differentiating between full susceptibility to simeprevir (≤ 2.0-fold reduction in simeprevir activity) and low-level versus high-level resistance (≥ 50-fold reduction in simeprevir activity) were determined. The median simeprevir fold change in the 50% effective concentration (FC) of pretreatment genotype 1a isolates, with and without Q80K, and genotype 1b isolates was 11, 0.9, and 0.4, respectively. Naturally occurring NS3 polymorphisms that reduced simeprevir activity, other than Q80K, were uncommon in the simeprevir studies and generally conferred low-level resistance in vitro. Although the proportion of patients with failure differed by HCV geno/subtype and/or presence of baseline Q80K, the level of simeprevir resistance observed at failure was similarly high irrespective of type of failure, HCV genotype 1 subtype, and presence or absence of baseline Q80K. At the end of the study, simeprevir activity against isolates that lost the emerging amino acid substitution returned to pretreatment values. Activity of simeprevir against clinical isolates and site-directed mutant replicons harboring the corresponding single or double amino acid substitutions correlated well, showing that simeprevir resistance can be attributed to these substitutions. In conclusion, pretreatment NS3 isolates were generally fully susceptible (FC, ≤ 2.0) or conferred low-level resistance to simeprevir in vitro (FC, >2.0 and <50). Treatment failure with a simeprevir-based regimen was associated with emergence of high-level-resistance variants (FC, ≥ 50).

Evolution of hepatitis C virus quasispecies during repeated treatment with the NS3/4A protease inhibitor telaprevir.

In treating hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, the rapid reselection of resistance-associated variants (RAVs) is well known in patients with repeated exposure to the same class of antiviral agents. For chronic hepatitis C patients who have experienced virologic failure with direct-acting antiviral drugs, the potential for the reselection of persistent RAVs is unknown. Nine patients who received 14 days of telaprevir monotherapy were retreated with telaprevir-based triple therapy 4.3 to 5.7 years later. In four patients with virologic failure with both telaprevir-containing regimens, population-based and deep sequencing (454 GS-FLX) of the NS3 protease gene were performed before and at treatment failure (median coverage, 4,651 reads). Using deep sequencing, with a threshold of 1.0% for variant calling, no isolates were found harboring RAVs at the baseline time points. While population-based sequencing uncovered similar resistance patterns (V36M plus R155K for subtype 1a and V36A for subtype 1b) in all four patients after the first and second telaprevir treatments, deep sequencing analysis revealed a median of 7 (range, 4 to 23) nucleotide substitutions on the NS3 backbone of the resistant strains, together with large phylogenetic differences between viral quasispecies, making the survival of resistant isolates highly unlikely. In contrast, in a comparison of the two baseline time points, the median number of nucleotide exchanges in the wild-type isolates was only 3 (range, 2 to 8), reflecting the natural evolution of the NS3 gene. In patients with repeated direct antiviral treatment, a continuous evolution of HCV quasispecies was observed, with no clear evidence of persistence and reselection but strong signs of independent de novo generation of resistance. Antiviral therapy for chronic viral infections, like HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), or hepatitis C virus (HCV), faces several challenges. These viruses have evolved survival strategies and proliferate by escaping the host's immune system. The development of direct-acting antiviral agents is an important achievement in fighting these infections. Viral variants conferring resistance to direct antiviral drugs lead to treatment failure. For HIV/HBV, it is well known that viral variants associated with treatment failure will be archived and reselected rapidly during retreatment with the same drug/class of drugs. We explored the mechanisms and rules of how resistant variants are selected and potentially reselected during repeated direct antiviral therapies in chronically HCV-infected patients. Interestingly, in contrast to HIV and HBV, we could not prove long-term persistence and reselection of resistant variants in HCV patients who failed protease inhibitor-based therapy. This may have important implications for the potential to reuse direct-acting antivirals in patients who failed the initial direct antiviral treatment. (The phase IIIb study described in this paper is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration number NCT01054573.).

Telaprevir twice daily is noninferior to telaprevir every 8 hours for patients with chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We performed an open-label, multicenter, phase 3 study of the safety and efficacy of twice-daily telaprevir in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to groups treated with telaprevir 1125 mg twice daily or 750 mg every 8 hours plus peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin for 12 weeks; patients were then treated with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin alone for 12 weeks if their level of HCV RNA at week 4 was <25 IU/mL or for 36 weeks if their level was higher. The primary objective was to demonstrate noninferiority of telaprevir twice daily versus every 8 hours in producing a sustained virological response 12 weeks after the end of therapy (SVR12) (based on a -11% lower limit of the 95% lower confidence interval for the difference between groups). RESULTS: At baseline, of 740 patients, 85% had levels of HCV RNA ≥800,000 IU/mL, 28% had fibrosis (F3-F4), 14% had cirrhosis (F4), 57% were infected with HCV genotype 1a, and 71% had the non-CC IL28B genotype. Of patients who were treated with telaprevir twice daily, 74.3% achieved SVR12 compared with 72.8% of patients who were treated with telaprevir every 8 hours (difference in response, 1.5%; 95% confidence interval, -4.9% to 12.0%), so telaprevir twice daily is noninferior to telaprevir every 8 hours. All subgroups of patients who were treated with telaprevir twice daily versus those who were treated every 8 hours had similar rates of SVR12. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) in the telaprevir phase were fatigue (47%), pruritus (43%), anemia (42%), nausea (37%), rash (35%), and headache (26%); serious AEs were reported in 9% of patients. Rates of AEs and serious AEs were similar or slightly higher among patients treated with telaprevir every 8 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a phase 3 trial, telaprevir twice daily is noninferior to every 8 hours in producing SVR12, with similar levels of safety and tolerability. These results support use of telaprevir twice daily in patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis. ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT01241760.

An OPTIMIZE study retrospective analysis for management of telaprevir-treated hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients by use of the Abbott RealTime HCV RNA assay.

Protease inhibitor (PI)-based response-guided triple therapies for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are still widely used. Noncirrhotic treatment-naive and prior relapser patients receiving telaprevir-based treatment are eligible for shorter, 24-week total therapy if HCV RNA is undetectable at both weeks 4 and 12. In this study, the concordance in HCV RNA assessments between the Roche High Pure System/Cobas TaqMan and Abbott RealTime HCV RNA assays and the impacts of different HCV RNA cutoffs on treatment outcome were evaluated. A total of 2,629 samples from 663 HCV genotype 1 patients receiving telaprevir/pegylated interferon/ribavirin in OPTIMIZE were analyzed using the High Pure System and reanalyzed using Abbott RealTime (limits of detection, 15.1 IU/ml versus 8.3 IU/ml; limits of quantification, 25 IU/ml versus 12 IU/ml, respectively). Overall, good concordance was observed between the assays. Using undetectable HCV RNA at week 4, 34% of the patients would be eligible for shorter treatment duration with Abbott RealTime versus 72% with the High Pure System. However, using <12 IU/ml for Abbott RealTime, a similar proportion (74%) would be eligible. Of the patients receiving 24-week total therapy, 87% achieved a sustained virologic response with undetectable HCV RNA by the High Pure System or <12 IU/ml by Abbott RealTime; however, 92% of the patients with undetectable HCV RNA by Abbott RealTime achieved a sustained virologic response. Using undetectable HCV RNA as the cutoff, the more sensitive Abbott RealTime assay would identify fewer patients eligible for shorter treatment than the High Pure System. Our data confirm the <12-IU/ml cutoff, as previously established in other studies of the Abbott RealTime assay, to determine eligibility for shortened PI-based HCV treatment. (The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01241760.).

Low-density lipoprotein and other predictors of response with telaprevir-based therapy in treatment-experienced HCV genotype 1 patients: REALIZE study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Predictors of response to treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin are well established. In these post-hoc analyses of the REALIZE study, we sought to identify predictors of response for telaprevir-based triple therapy. METHODS: Patients from the REALIZE study with baseline data for all predictors evaluated (including baseline disease characteristics and demographics, prior treatment response and baseline laboratory assessments) were included in the post-hoc analyses (n = 465). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate factors predicting treatment outcomes. RESULTS: Sustained viral response (SVR) rates were 86% in prior relapsers, 63% in prior partial responders and 32% in prior null-responders. In the final multivariate analysis, baseline factors predicting SVR were prior response to treatment [Odds ratio (OR) = 2.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.13-3.69], low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (≥2.6 mmol/L) (OR = 2.11; 95% CI, 1.52-2.93), HCV genotype (OR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36-0.93), and maximum alanine amino transferase and aspartate amino transferase (OR = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Prior response to peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment and LDL levels are the main independent predictive markers of response with telaprevir-based triple therapy.

Modeling viral evolutionary dynamics after telaprevir-based treatment.

For patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), the combination of the direct-acting antiviral agent telaprevir, pegylated-interferon alfa (Peg-IFN), and ribavirin (RBV) significantly increases the chances of sustained virologic response (SVR) over treatment with Peg-IFN and RBV alone. If patients do not achieve SVR with telaprevir-based treatment, their viral population is often significantly enriched with telaprevir-resistant variants at the end of treatment. We sought to quantify the evolutionary dynamics of these post-treatment resistant variant populations. Previous estimates of these dynamics were limited by analyzing only population sequence data (20% sensitivity, qualitative resistance information) from 388 patients enrolled in Phase 3 clinical studies. Here we add clonal sequence analysis (5% sensitivity, quantitative) for a subset of these patients. We developed a computational model which integrates both the qualitative and quantitative sequence data, and which forms a framework for future analyses of drug resistance. The model was qualified by showing that deep-sequence data (1% sensitivity) from a subset of these patients are consistent with model predictions. When determining the median time for viral populations to revert to 20% resistance in these patients, the model predicts 8.3 (95% CI: 7.6, 8.4) months versus 10.7 (9.9, 12.8) months estimated using solely population sequence data for genotype 1a, and 1.0 (0.0, 1.4) months versus 0.9 (0.0, 2.7) months for genotype 1b. For each individual patient, the time to revert to 20% resistance predicted by the model was typically comparable to or faster than that estimated using solely population sequence data. Furthermore, the model predicts a median of 11.0 and 2.1 months after treatment failure for viral populations to revert to 99% wild-type in patients with HCV genotypes 1a or 1b, respectively. Our modeling approach provides a framework for projecting accurate, quantitative assessment of HCV resistance dynamics from a data set consisting of largely qualitative information.

Deep-sequencing analysis of the gene encoding the hepatitis C virus nonstructural 3-4A protease confirms a low prevalence of telaprevir-resistant variants at baseline and the end of the REALIZE study.

BACKGROUND: Population sequencing (PS) has shown that telaprevir-resistant variants are not typically detectable at baseline (prevalence, ≤5% of patients), and most variants present at the time of treatment failure are no longer detectable at the end of the study. METHODS: To gain insight into the evolution of telaprevir-resistant variants, their baseline prevalence and persistence after treatment was investigated using a more sensitive, deep-sequencing (DS) technique in a large number of treatment-experienced patients from the REALIZE study who were infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1. RESULTS: Before treatment initiation, telaprevir-resistant variants (T54A, T54S, or R155K in 1%-2% of the viral population) were detected by DS in a fraction (2%) of patients for whom PS failed to detect resistance; these variants were not necessarily detected at the time of treatment failure. Of 49 patients in whom telaprevir-resistant variants were detected by PS at the time of treatment failure but not at the end of the study, DS revealed the presence of variants (V36A/L/M, T54S, or R155K in 1%-36% of the viral population) in 16 patients (33%) at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to PS findings, DS analysis revealed that the frequency of telaprevir-resistant variants before treatment was also low, and variants detected at the time of treatment failure were no longer detectable in the majority of patients during follow-up.

Telaprevir for retreatment of HCV infection.

BACKGROUND: Up to 60% of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection do not have a sustained virologic response to therapy with peginterferon alfa plus ribavirin. METHODS: In this randomized, phase 3 trial, we evaluated the addition of telaprevir to peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection who had no response or a partial response to previous therapy or who had a relapse after an initial response. A total of 663 patients were assigned to one of three groups: the T12PR48 group, which received telaprevir for 12 weeks and peginterferon plus ribavirin for a total of 48 weeks; the lead-in T12PR48 group, which received 4 weeks of peginterferon plus ribavirin followed by 12 weeks of telaprevir and peginterferon plus ribavirin for a total of 48 weeks; and the control group (PR48), which received peginterferon plus ribavirin for 48 weeks. The primary end point was the rate of sustained virologic response, which was defined as undetectable HCV RNA 24 weeks after the last planned dose of a study drug. RESULTS: Rates of sustained virologic response were significantly higher in the two telaprevir groups than in the control group among patients who had a previous relapse (83% in the T12PR48 group, 88% in the lead-in T12PR48 group, and 24% in the PR48 group), a partial response (59%, 54%, and 15%, respectively), and no response (29%, 33%, and 5%, respectively) (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Grade 3 adverse events (mainly anemia, neutropenia, and leukopenia) were more frequent in the telaprevir groups than in the control group (37% vs. 22%). CONCLUSIONS: Telaprevir combined with peginterferon plus ribavirin significantly improved rates of sustained virologic response in patients with previously treated HCV infection, regardless of whether there was a lead-in phase. (Funded by Tibotec and Vertex Pharmaceuticals; REALIZE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00703118.).

Hepatitis C virus variants with decreased sensitivity to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) were rarely observed in DAA-naive patients prior to treatment.

The prevalence of naturally occurring hepatitis C virus (HCV) variants that are less sensitive to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) inhibitors has not been fully characterized. We used population sequence analysis to assess the frequency of such variants in plasma samples from 3,447 DAA-naive patients with genotype 1 HCV. In general, HCV variants with lower-level resistance (3- to 25-fold increased 50% inhibitor concentration [IC(50)]) to telaprevir were observed as the dominant species in 0 to 3% of patients, depending on the specific variant, whereas higher-level resistant variants (>25-fold-increased IC(50)) were not observed. Specific variants resistant to NS5A inhibitors were predominant in up to 6% of patients. Most variants resistant to nucleo(s/t)ide active-site NS5B polymerase inhibitors were not observed, whereas variants resistant to non-nucleoside allosteric inhibitors were observed in up to 18% of patients. The presence of DAA-resistant variants in NS5A, NS5B, or NS3 (including telaprevir-resistant variants), in baseline samples of treatment-naive patients receiving a telaprevir-based regimen in phase 3 studies did not affect the sustained viral response (SVR). Treatment-naive patients with viral populations containing the telaprevir-resistant variants NS3 V36M, T54S, or R155K at baseline achieved a 74% SVR rate, whereas patients with no resistant variants detected prior to treatment achieved a 76% SVR rate. The effect of specific resistant variant frequency on response to various DAA treatments in different patient populations, including interferon nonresponders, should be further studied.

Virologic characterization of genotype 4 hepatitis C virus variants in patients treated with telaprevir.

BACKGROUND: Study C210 was a Phase IIa, exploratory trial to assess the activity of telaprevir on hepatitis C virus (HCV) early viral kinetics in treatment-naïve patients infected with genotype 4 (G4) HCV. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive peginterferon and ribavirin alone, telaprevir monotherapy (T arm), or telaprevir in combination with peginterferon/ribavirin (TPR arm) for 15 days, followed by a 46- or 48-week standard treatment phase. The current analysis aimed to characterize the genotype and phenotype of HCV G4 variants emerging during telaprevir treatment. RESULTS: Five of the 8 (62.5%) patients in the telaprevir (T) arm had viral breakthrough (vBT) during the investigational treatment phase (between baseline and Day 15), compared to no patients in the TPR arm. HCV G4 viral variants with a T54A/T mutation were detected in two of these patients, as well as two other patients with detectable HCV RNA at the end of telaprevir treatment. Emergence of the T54A/T mutation was associated with a 2- to 4-fold decreased susceptibility to telaprevir. All patients with vBT during the investigational treatment phase or with a T54A/T mutation achieved undetectable HCV RNA 12 or 24 weeks after end of treatment with subsequent peginterferon/ribavirin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis in G4 HCV-infected patients, more patients in the telaprevir monotherapy arm experienced vBT with resistant variants compared to none with telaprevir combination therapy. The most commonly selected mutation T54A in telaprevir-treated G4 HCV patients was previously described in the context of G1 infection. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00580801).

Telaprevir activity in treatment-naive patients infected hepatitis C virus genotype 4: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: This partially blinded, randomized, phase 2a C210 study evaluated the antiviral activity of telaprevir-based regimens in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 infection. METHODS: Twenty-four patients received telaprevir 750 mg every 8 hours for 15 days (T; n = 8), telaprevir in combination with pegylated interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin (Peg-IFN/RBV) for 15 days (TPR; n = 8), or Peg-IFN/RBV plus placebo for 15 days (PR; n = 8), followed by Peg-IFN/RBV for 46 or 48 weeks. The primary objective was to assess the effect of telaprevir on HCV RNA levels. RESULTS: HCV RNA levels decreased slightly with T and PR; TPR produced substantial, rapid declines. On day 15, median reductions in the HCV RNA load from baseline were -0.77, -4.32, and -1.58 log10 IU/mL for T, TPR, and PR, respectively, and 0 patients in the T group, 1 in the TPR group, and 0 in the PR group had undetectable HCV RNA. Five of 8 patients who received telaprevir monotherapy had viral breakthrough within 15 days of treatment. Adverse event incidence was similar across treatments and comparable with the incidences from previous clinical trials. One patient (in T group) had a serious adverse event (considered unrelated to telaprevir) that led to treatment discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Telaprevir with Peg-IFN/RBV had greater activity than Peg-IFN/RBV treatment or telaprevir monotherapy against HCV genotype 4. Telaprevir was generally safe and well tolerated. Further investigation of telaprevir combination therapy in patients with HCV genotype 4 infection is warranted.

Pharmacodynamic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in severe and critical COVID-19 patients treated with sirukumab.

We examined candidate biomarkers for efficacy outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were treated with sirukumab, an IL-6 neutralizing antibody, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial. Between May 2020 and March 2021, 209 patients were randomized (sirukumab, n = 139; placebo, n = 70); 112 had critical COVID-19. Serum biomarkers were evaluated for the pharmacodynamic effect of sirukumab and for their potential prognostic and predictive effect on time to sustained clinical improvement up to Day 28, clinical improvement at Day 28, and mortality at Day 28. The absence of detectable IL-4 increase and smaller increases in CCL13 post-baseline were most significantly associated with better response to sirukumab (versus placebo) treatment for all clinical efficacy outcomes tested, especially in patients with critical COVID-19. These data suggest that patients with critical COVID-19 without detectable sirukumab-induced IL-4 levels are more likely to benefit from sirukumab treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04380961.