Optimal treatment with telaprevir for chronic HCV infection

Telaprevir is a recently approved direct‐acting antiviral against hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) that works through inhibition of the NS 3/4A serine protease inhibitor.Phase 2b and 3 studies have shown marked increase in sustained virological response rates in both treatment‐ naïve and treatment‐experienced patients with HCV genotype 1 treated with a telaprevir‐containing regimen compared with pegylated interferon (PEG‐ IFN ) and ribavirin alone. The most commonly observed side effects of telaprevir therapy are anaemia to a greater degree than that observed with PEG‐ IFN /ribavirin alone; eczematous rash, which can be severe in a minority of patients; and anorectal discomfort.