new drug for hepatitis C can reduce SUS costs by up to 20%!

A possibility of treatment for hepatitis C with a new drug can lower the cost of the same, which is offered by the SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde).

Combination tested and found to be effective

The use of ravidasvir, registered with Farmanguinhos (Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology), an organ belonging to Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation), if used in combination with sofosbuvir, in the treatment of hepatitis C, may reduce by up to 20% the cost of treatment by the public system, which today is between R$6,200 and R$6,500 per patient. Who brings this estimate is the director of the Institute, Jorge Mendonça.

_{Sofosbuvir jar is used in the treatment of hepatitis C (Photo: Disclosure/AP/SIPA)}

Through Farmanguinhos, Fiocruz was able to sign an agreement to register the drug ravidasvir with Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency). The agreement was technically and scientifically signed with the NGO DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative) and also with the Egyptian pharmaceutical company Pharco Pharmaceuticals.

Jorge Mendonça told Agência Brasil that Pharco and DNDi jointly carried out several tests in order to show the effectiveness of the combination between sofosbuvir and ravidasvir in people from Thailand and Malaysia. The cure rate averaged 97%. George declared: “A fairly high average, compared to more modern standards used for effective treatment of hepatitis C.”

_{Chemical structure of the drug ravidasvir (Photo: Reproduction/New Drug Approvals)}

Next steps of the agreement

After signing the agreement, Mendonça said that the next step is to approve the drug with Anvisa and wait for the publication of the registration by the Agency and thus be able to provide it to the Ministry of Health to be used in the treatment of hepatitis C, along with the already known sofosbuvir. Jorge believes that it should be a long process, taking about a year to a year and a half. “However, we understand that the more offers for the treatment of hepatitis C are available in the SUS, we bring more possibilities for doctors and more possibilities for patients to use drugs that come out of the first line and that can bring more comfort and adherence to treatment on the part of these patients”.The institute already holds the registration of another drug, the antiviral daclatasvir, which ends up further strengthening its role as a supporter of the Economic and Industrial Health Complex, Ceis.

What is Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver and is caused by a virus, HCV and when chronic, it can cause cirrhosis, liver failure and even cancer.

According to the Epidemiological Bulletin of Viral Hepatitis that was released in June last year, 718,651 cases of viral hepatitis were confirmed in Brazil between the years 2000 and 2021. Within this number, 23.4% are cases of hepatitis A, 36.8% are hepatitis B, 38.9% are hepatitis C and 0.6% are type D of the disease.

Featured Photo: Hepatitis C. Reproduction/Paulista Institute of Surgery