Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) are a known component of a centuries-old herbal medicine, have been used for over 50 years as a topical treatment for psoriasis, and most recently, have demonstrated efficacy in treating relapsing- remitting multiple sclerosis.
In a phase II trial, combination treatment with Gilead's simeprevir (Olysio) and Janssen's simeprevir (Sovaldi) yielded functional cure rates exceeding 90% in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who received 12 weeks of therapy-even among difficult-to-treat patients.
An estimated 3.3% of people in the United States born between 1945 and 1965 have chronic hepatitis C infection. The increased risk of infection in this population has recently led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recommend one-time hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for all persons in this age cohort.
The AJMCtv Peer Exchange video editorial series provides a multi-stakeholder perspective on important issues facing medical professionals in the evolving healthcare landscape. The recent multi-part "Rare Diseases" panel discussion featured several segments that focused on the treatment of hemophilia.
It's always hard to know how many new therapies will make it all the way through a drug development pipeline.There are 12 combination therapies in phase II trials, 19 individual agents in phase II, and five more in phase III.