A direct-acting antiviral combination of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir was well-tolerated and effective in patients with compensated cirrhosis over a period of 8 weeks, a study in Liver international described. Researchers undertook this study to explore the efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir therapy to treat compensated cirrhosis.

Overall, 187 hepatitis C virus-infected, treatment-naive, individuals with compensated cirrhosis were recruited for in this real-world analysis. They were given glecaprevir/pibrentasvir therapy for about eight weeks. In the per-protocol analysis, the sustained virologic response was found to be 98.4% (127/129) (not including participants lost to follow-up or who withdrew treatment because of compliance) while it was 85.8% (127/148) in patients with the data available in an intention-to-treat assessment.

A total of 19 patients were dropped to follow-up. A patient relapsed, and 1 succumbed to death, but these were not therapy-related. Headache and fatigue were witnessed by more than 5% of patients.

Although two serious adverse events ensued; but did not lead to drug stoppage. Thus, an eight-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir therapy is effective and has good tolerability to treat people suffering from compensated cirrhosis.