Evolutionary dynamics of hepatitis C virus NS3 protease domain during and following treatment with narlaprevir, a potent NS3 protease inhibitor. Issue 11 (27th June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de, J.; Thomas, X. V.; Rebers, S. P.; Weegink, C. J.; Treitel, M. A.; Hughes, E.; Bergmann, J. F.; de, R. J.; Janssen, H. L. A.; Reesink, H. W.; Molenkamp, R.; Schinkel, J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of viral hepatitis. Volume 20:Issue 11(2013)
• Page Start: 779
• Page End: 789
• Publication Date: 2013-06-27
• Subjects: Hepatitis, Viral -- Periodicals; Hepatitis, Viral, Animal; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; 616.3623
• DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12104
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-0504

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jvh12104-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Narlaprevir, a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A serine protease inhibitor, has demonstrated robust antiviral activity in a placebo‐controlled phase 1 study. To study evolutionary dynamics of resistant variants, the NS3 protease sequence was clonally analysed in thirty‐two HCV genotype 1–infected patients following treatment with narlaprevir. Narlaprevir monotherapy was administered for one week (period 1) followed by narlaprevir/pegylated interferon‐alpha‐2b combination therapy with or without ritonavir (period 2) during two weeks, interrupted by a washout period of one month. Thereafter, all patients initiated pegylated interferon‐alpha‐2b/ribavirin combination therapy. Longitudinal clonal analysis was performed in those patients with NS3 mutations. After narlaprevir re‐exposure, resistance‐associated mutations at position V36, T54, R155 and A156 were detected in five patients in >95% of the clones. Narlaprevir retreatment resulted in a 2.58 and 5.06 log<sub>10</sub> IU/mL viral load decline in patients with and without mutations, respectively (<italic>P </italic>= <0.01). After treatment, resistant variants were replaced with wild‐type virus within 2–24 weeks in three patients. However, the R155K mutation was still observed 3.1 years after narlaprevir dosing in two patients in 5% and 45% of the viral population. Resistant variants could be detected early during treatment with narlaprevir. A slower viral load decline was observed in those patients with resistance‐associated mutations detectable by direct population sequencing. These mutations disappeared within six months following treatment with the exception of R155K mutation, which persisted in two patients.</p> </abstract>