The advent of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has dramatically increased rates of cure. However, there remain difficult-to-treat populations, including patients with genotype 3 infection and cirrhosis, and limited salvage treatment options for those that have failed first-line DAA therapy. Areas covered: This is a review of the preclinical and clinical development of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX), an interferon-free, oral, once daily, pangenotypic treatment for chronic HCV infection. All relevant literature from 2015 through June of 2017 is included. Expert commentary: Voxilaprevir, a second-generation HCV protease inhibitor, in combination with the already approved combination of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, was evaluated in the POLARIS trials and found to be a safe and effective regimen. Patients with prior DAA treatment failure, genotype 3, cirrhosis and/or unfavorable resistance profiles all achieved cure rates of 96% or greater. The most distinctive role for this potent regimen may prove to be as a salvage regimen for patients who have failed previous DAA therapy.
Keywords: Hepatitis C virus (HCV); NS3/4A; NS5A; NS5B; direct acting antiviral (DAA); protease inhibitor; sofosbuvir (SOF); velpatasvir (VEL); voxilaprevir (VOX).