GI disorders: Key research at Digestive Disease Week

Abstract

Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2014, held May 3–6 in Chicago, focused on new developments in gastroenterology, liver disease, endoscopy, and gastrointestinal surgery. The annual meeting—cosponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT)—is the largest meeting in the world for gastroenterology professionals. Following are a few key research studies presented during the meeting with a pharmacotherapy focus. Chronic hepatitis C Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) for hepatitis C that are associated with cure rates greater than 90% and minimal adverse effects received a signifi cant amount of attention throughout the week. With the FDA approval of simeprevir (Olysio—Janssen Therapeutics) and sofosbuvir (Sovaldi—Gilead Sciences) in late 2013 and additional oral DAA therapies anticipated for approval in 2014, research suggests that nearly all people with chronic hepatitis C can soon be treated successfully. AbbVie 3D. SAPPHIRE II (A Study to Evaluate Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in Treatment Experienced Adults) evaluated AbbVie’s interferon-free triple oral antiviral regimen “3D” containing the hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor ABT-450, the NS5A inhibitor ombitasvir, and the nonnucleoside NS5B polymerase inhibitor dasabuvir. The twice-daily 3D combination plus ribavirin for 12 weeks in patients who did not respond to previous therapies