Efficacy and safety of pan-genotypic sofosbuvir and velpatasvir in patients with chronic hepatitis c and HIV co-infection on dolutegravir-based anti-retroviral therapy

Abstract

Background and Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is more prevalent in people living with HIV-AIDS (PLHA) and portends a poorer prognosis. Directly acting antivirals (DAAs) have high efficacy in patients with HCV and HIV co-infection with the caveat of drug interactions with anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Until recently, use of the pan-genotypic combination of Sofosbuvir and Velpatasvir (S+V) in HCV co-infected PLHA was prohibited by significant interactions between Velpatasvir and Efavirenz which was an integral part of most first-line ART regimens.