Content about Ribavirin

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals has enrolled the first patients in its late-stage trial of a treatment for hepatitis C, the drug maker said Thursday.

BI Pharmaceuticals is conducting the "HCVerso" trial of an HCV drug that combines faldaprevir, the experimental compound BI 207127 and ribavirin. The company has established trial sites in more than 25 states.

BARCELONA, Spain — Merck is testing two means of treating patients with chronic hepatitis C for anemia, a common side effect of certain treatments for the viral infection, the drug maker said.

Merck announced results of a phase-3 study comparing two strategies for managing anemia and how they affect the curing of hepatitis C in patients taking Victrelis (boceprevir) with Pegintron (peginterferon alfa-2b) and ribavirin.

LAKE MARY, Fla. — Specialty pharmacy provider Axium Healthcare Pharmacy has introduced two recently approved hepatitis C drugs to its HepVisions therapy management program, the company said Thursday.

Axium announced the addition of Merck ’s Victrelis (boceprevir) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Incivek (telaprevir) to the program, through which it provides comprehensive compliance support, patient education, side effect management, clinical interventions and communication with the patient and physician.

SILVER SPRING, Md.— The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for chronic hepatitis C, the agency said Friday.

The FDA announced the approval of Merck’s Victrelis (boceprevir) for patients with the disease. The drug is designed for patients who still have some liver function and have not previously received treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection or have failed previous treatments. The drug is approved for use in combination with the generic drug ribavirin and pegylated interferons, biotech drugs used for treating the disease.

BOSTON An investigative treatment for hepatitis C got strong results in patients who had failed previous treatments or who were new to treatment, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial program announced this week.