Introducing Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir + Ribavirin as a Generic Retreatment Regimen for Hepatitis C: Evaluation of a Government Program in Rwanda

Janvier Serumondo; Peter Barebwanuwe; Ephrem Daniel Sheferaw; Jeannette Iyonizera; Charles Berabose; Sabine Umuraza; Calliope Ntuyenabo; Kelly Reine Kwizera; Donatha Dushimiyimana; Justine Umutesi; Jean Damascene Kabakambira; Bobo Buya; Amy Azania; Caroline E Boeke; Alida Ngwije; Christian B Ramers; Gallican Rwibasira

doi:10.1093/cid/ciae637

Introducing Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir + Ribavirin as a Generic Retreatment Regimen for Hepatitis C: Evaluation of a Government Program in Rwanda

Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 29:ciae637. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae637. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Janvier Serumondo¹, Peter Barebwanuwe², Ephrem Daniel Sheferaw², Jeannette Iyonizera², Charles Berabose¹, Sabine Umuraza², Calliope Ntuyenabo², Kelly Reine Kwizera², Donatha Dushimiyimana¹, Justine Umutesi¹, Jean Damascene Kabakambira³, Bobo Buya², Amy Azania⁴, Caroline E Boeke⁴, Alida Ngwije², Christian B Ramers⁴, Gallican Rwibasira¹

Affiliations

¹ Rwanda Ministry of Health, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, Rwanda.
² Clinton Health Access Initiative, Kigali, Rwanda.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, The University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda.
⁴ Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

PMID: 39878504
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciae637

Abstract

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir is recommended for hepatitis C virus (HCV) retreatment in those who fail initial treatment but is unavailable in resource-limited settings. We describe a government sofosbuvir/velpatasvir + ribavirin (SOF/VEL + RBV) × 24 weeks retreatment program in Rwanda (November 2021-October 2022). Of 231 participants, 174 were cured (75.3% intention-to-treat analysis). SOF/VEL + RBV may be considered for HCV retreatment in resource-limited settings.

Keywords: Hepatitis C virus (HCV); cure; retreatment; second line; treatment failure.

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Abstract

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