Which of the direct acting anti-viral agents is the better drug in terms of efficacy, cost and safety, Boceprevir or Telaprevir?

Abstract

Objective: Hepatitis C virus can cause chronic hepatitis with 20-30% of those infected are developing liver cirrhosis and some developing hepatocellular carcinoma. It is a global health problem with 130-170 million people infected worldwide. The current treatment uses pegylated interferon and Ribavirin. As of 2011, two new drugs have been approved in the U.S.A and Europe, the protease inhibitors Boceprevir and Telaprevir. The aim of this structured review is to investigate which of these two new drugs is better in terms of efficacy, safety and cost. A literature search was conducted using various primary and secondary sources. A database search was conducted to find three journals for critical review. Conclusion: The articles showed that the two drugs are equally effective and more effective than standard therapy. Boceprevir is potentially significantly cheaper. Boceprevir may also have a slightly better adverse effects profile. However, it is evident that direct clinical trials comparing the two drugs are required.