–6 Oral Presentations and 28 Posters Across HDV, HCV, HBV, NASH and PSC Highlight Progress and Gilead’s Leadership in Addressing Unmet Needs for People Affected by Liver Disease –
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced new data to be presented at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress 2023, June 21-24, 2023. Key findings from more than 70 presentations will include Week 96 data from the pivotal Phase 3 study of Hepcludex® (bulevirtide) evaluating the efficacy and safety for the treatment of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) and late-breaking data on the impact of continued treatment with bulevirtide. Gilead will also present real-world data on efforts that support the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 and long-term results from ongoing studies of Vemlidy® (tenofovir alafenamide) in chronic hepatitis B (HBV). Results from ongoing research in liver fibrosis from across nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) will also be presented.
“We are pleased to share our latest viral hepatitis and liver fibrosis data at EASL 2023 as we strive to support the needs of patients and help achieve the WHO goal of viral hepatitis elimination by 2030,” said Frank Duff, MD, Senior Vice President, Virology Therapeutic Area Head, Gilead Sciences. “Despite the significant progress that has been made, considerable challenges still remain for those living with liver disease. We are proud to be able to share our ongoing research and efforts to help address these needs.”
Advancing Treatments in HDV and HBV As a leader in hepatitis delta research, Gilead will present 15 abstracts in HDV, including the latest Week 96 data from the pivotal Phase 3 MYR301 study of bulevirtide in chronic HDV patients (OS-068). Data on the improved virologic and biochemical response with continued treatment with bulevirtide for 96 weeks in non- and partial-responders (LBP-20) will also be presented. These data reinforce the efficacy and safety of bulevirtide and demonstrate the benefits of continued treatment for people living with HDV, the most severe form of viral hepatitis.
Real-world data from a retrospective observational cohort study will be presented, highlighting a higher prevalence of comorbidities at baseline and an increased risk of liver-related outcomes for people with HDV/HBV co-infection compared to individuals with HBV mono-infection (WED-116). Data will also be presented on the impact of HDV on fatigue and health-related quality of life among untreated individuals living with HDV (FRI-124) highlighting the significant disease burden and high associated healthcare-related costs.
In HBV, final 8-year safety (SAT-153) and efficacy (OS-067) data will be presented from the two global Phase 3 studies (Study 108 and Study 110) evaluating long-term outcomes in chronic HBV patients treated with tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) who subsequently switched to TAF.
Helping to Achieve the WHO Goal of Hepatitis Elimination Gilead will present nine hepatitis C (HCV) related abstracts that reinforce the need for tailored approaches for screening, linkage to care and management of HCV, and highlight the real-world impact of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) to optimize treatment decisions and decrease healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs.
Data include results on optimizing screening and linkage to care which is critical on the path to hepatitis elimination. Results from an initiative using machine learning to improve HCV screening and linkage to care will be presented and have been selected as part of the ‘Scientific Highlights’ (OS-091). Findings from a UK pilot project (FRI-182) conducted in partnership with Practice Plus Group will be presented, with the aim to improve screening and linkage to care for blood borne viruses in Immigration Removal Centers.
Real-world data from the U.S. will be presented (THU-218) evaluating DDI comedication use in people initiating treatment with pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Among patients with baseline DDI-related comedication use, those initiating treatment with Epclusa® (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir) were less likely to discontinue their DDI-related comedication prior to DAA initiation than patients initiating treatment with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir. Additional research is needed to assess real-world consequences of potential DDIs.
Ongoing Research in Liver Fibrosis Gilead will present data on the effects of antidiabetic and lipid-lowering therapies on liver fibrosis biomarkers (OS-085) building further insights on the impact of these drugs in people with different genetic predisposition to NASH. Additionally, data will be presented on the association between non-invasive SomaSignal™ NASH scores and histologic assessments obtained from liver biopsy (SAT-438), advancing the potential to assess treatment responses in future NASH trials.
In PSC, Gilead will present data from the Phase 3 PRIMIS study (GS-US-428-4194) of investigational cilofexor (LBO-03). Additional presentations focus on the substantial impact on healthcare resource utilization of PSC (SAT-115) and the contribution of the NOTCH signaling pathway to the progression of fibrosis in liver tissue from PSC patients (FRI-360).
Key Abstracts at EASL 2023:
Abstract | Abstract Title |
HDV | |
OS-068 | Efficacy and safety at 96 weeks of bulevirtide 2 mg or 10 mg monotherapy for chronic hepatitis D: results from an interim analysis of a Phase 3 randomized study |
LBP-20 | Continued treatment of early nonresponder or partial virologic responders with monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis D through week 96 leads to improvement in virologic & biochemical responses |
WED-116 | A retrospective observational cohort study of liver-related events among individuals with hepatitis B virus infection with and without hepatitis delta virus infection |
FRI-124 | The impact of hepatitis D virus infection on health-related quality of life and fatigue in patients untreated for HDV: descriptive results from a cross-sectional study across Italy, Germany, Spain and the US |
HCV | |
OS-091 | Finding undiagnosed hepatitis C cases: using machine learning to identify clinical attributes and social determinants of health to improve the screening-to-diagnosis ratio and improve efficiency and linkage to care |
THU-218 | Evaluating utilization and management of comedications with potential for drug-drug interactions among patients with chronic hepatitis C initiating treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir |
FRI-182 | Improving blood borne virus screening in immigration removal centres in the UK |
HBV | |
OS-067 | Long-term efficacy of tenofovir alafenamide in HBeAg-positive and -negative chronic hepatitis B patients treated for up to 8 years in 2 Phase 3 studies |
SAT-153 | Long term safety profile of tenofovir alafenamide in chronic hepatitis B patients; final 8-year results of 2 Phase 3 studies |
Liver Fibrosis | |
OS-085 | Use of antidiabetic and lipid-lowering medications associated with lower scores of liver fibrosis biomarkers in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) patients |
SAT-438 | Utility of SomaSignal™ panels for drug response and monitoring disease progression in patients with advanced fibrosis due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis |
SAT-115 | Healthcare resource use and costs among patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis in Sweden - a retrospective population-based cohort study |
FRI-360 | Elevated JAG1-NOTCH signaling is associated with fibrosis stages in patients with PSC |
LBO-03 | A Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of cilofexor in patients with non-cirrhotic primary sclerosing cholangitis (PRIMIS) |
For more information, including a complete list of abstract titles being presented at the meeting, please visit https://www.easlcongress.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Accepted-abstracts_EASL-Congress-2023.pdf.
In April 2023, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended granting full Marketing Authorization (MA) for bulevirtide for the treatment of adults with chronic HDV and compensated liver disease. Bulevirtide was initially granted conditional MA in July 2020 to provide people living with HDV urgent access to treatment. In the U.S. and outside of the European Economic Area, bulevirtide is an investigational agent. In these regions, health authorities have not established the safety and efficacy of bulevirtide.
Cilofexor and selgantolimod are investigational compounds and are not approved by the FDA or any other regulatory authority; their safety and efficacy have not been established.
Please see below for the U.S. Indications and Important Safety Information, including BOXED WARNINGS, for Epclusa and Vemlidy.
U.S. Important Safety Information And Indication for Epclusa
BOXED WARNING: RISK OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS REACTIVATION IN HCV/HBV COINFECTED PATIENTS
Test all patients for evidence of current or prior hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection before initiating treatment with EPCLUSA. HBV reactivation has been reported in HCV/HBV coinfected patients who were undergoing or had completed treatment with HCV direct acting antivirals (DAAs) and were not receiving HBV antiviral therapy. Some cases have resulted in fulminant hepatitis, hepatic failure, and death. Cases have been reported in patients who are HBsAg positive, in patients with serologic evidence of resolved HBV, and also in patients receiving certain immunosuppressant or chemotherapeutic agents; the risk of HBV reactivation associated with treatment with HCV DAAs may be increased in patients taking these other agents. Monitor HCV/HBV coinfected patients for hepatitis flare or HBV reactivation during HCV treatment and post-treatment follow-up. Initiate appropriate patient management for HBV infection as clinically indicated.
Contraindications
Warnings and Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Drug Interactions
Consult the full Prescribing Information for EPCLUSA for more information on potentially significant drug interactions, including clinical comments.
Indication
EPCLUSA is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 3 years of age and older with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis and in combination with ribavirin for those with decompensated cirrhosis.
U.S. Important Safety Information and Indication for Vemlidy
BOXED WARNING: POST TREATMENT SEVERE ACUTE EXACERBATION OF HEPATITIS B
Discontinuation of anti-hepatitis B therapy, including VEMLIDY, may result in severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in patients who discontinue anti-hepatitis B therapy, including VEMLIDY. If appropriate, resumption of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted.
Warnings and Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥5%; all grades) in all clinical studies through week 144 were headache, upper respiratory tract infection, abdominal pain, cough, back pain, arthralgia, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and pyrexia.
Drug Interactions
Consult the full prescribing information for VEMLIDY for more information on potentially significant drug interactions, including clinical comments.
Dosage and Administration