AHC Resistance Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prevalence and evolution of direct acting antiviral(DAA)-resistant variants in HIV-infected individuals with acute hepatitis C (AHC).
IRAS ID
154117
Contact name
Mark Nelson
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 30 days
Research summary
This study will determine how commonly drug resistance occurs in a population of individuals with early or acute hepatitis C viral infection who are co-infected with chronic HIV. We will also explore the subpopulation of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that coexists with drug-sensitive HCV using novel laboratory methods.
HCV infection is increasing in HIV-infected men who have sex with men in London, with infections being passed via sexual contact. Understanding early HCV is difficult as it is not always apparent, limiting opportunities in obtaining blood tests within the first few weeks of infection.
Novel drug therapies against HCV have recently been developed in the form of direct anti-viral agents (DAAs). The efficiency of these drugs is over 80%, a great improvement from previous therapy. However, studies have shown that DAA mutations can be passed from a DAA-exposed individual with treatment failure to a non-exposed individual. If more HCV-infected individuals harbour these mutations, the spread of resistant HCV infection to others may be occurring especially if individuals remain unaware of their infection risk.
By using new ways to find mutations produced by HCV spontaneously or as a result of treatment failure, we wish to document the nature and quantify the level of mutations that exist in early HCV.
We propose to study, with ethical approval, existing plasma samples from individuals with early HCV infection that have been collected for diagnostic purposes but are no longer required for clinical use.
Access to a large HIV/HCV co-infection cohort at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital will give us a unique opportunity to analyse all possible mutations to DAAs in early HCV infection.REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2139
Date of REC Opinion
6 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion