A new therapy for veterans living with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is now available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Formulary.
Zepatier (elbasvir and grazoprevir), a product of pharmaceutical company Merck, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Jan. 28. The therapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients.
Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that about 180,000 veterans nationwide are infected with HCV. VA officials estimate only one in five patients who could benefit from HCV therapy have actually received it.
“As the single largest provider of chronic hepatitis C care in the U.S., our goal has been to treat every veteran with HCV infection,” Sloan Gibson, deputy secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said. “We are grateful to Congress and to pharmaceutical leaders like Merck that are committed to our veterans who have nobly served our nation.”
Merck Chairman and CEO Kenneth Frazier called the VA's adding Zepatier to its formulary an exemplary model of government and industry leaders working together for a common goal.
“We are thankful and privileged to have worked in partnership with the VA to help accelerate access to chronic hepatitis C treatment for America’s veterans,” Frazier said. “The VA is now leading the way for the U.S. in showing what is possible in the fight against chronic hepatitis C.”
