TOPIC:

Promising new blood test is first of its kind to detect liver scarring:
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...est-is-first-of.html

Understanding the Magnitude of the Viral Hepatitis Epidemics in the United States
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...nitude-of-viral.html

Hepatitis C Deaths Up Sharply Over Past Decade
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...arply-over-past.html

Editorial: ‘Fixing’ drug prices
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...ing-drug-prices.html

Good News!!

Successful antiviral treatment for hepatitis C associated with reduction in risk of cirrhosis, HCC and overall mortality, regardless of age.

hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...l-treatment-for.html

Study show fibrosis is reversible:
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...researchers-now.html

Diabetes and liver disease:
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...hospitalization.html

New York to require coverage of HCV drugs:
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...nge-coverage-of.html

AbbVie Receives U.S. FDA Approval of Supplemental New Drug Application for VIEKIRA PAK® (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir tablets; dasabuvir tablets) without Ribavirin in Genotype 1b Chronic Hepatitis C Patients with Compensated Cirrhosis
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/04/...viekira-pak-for.html

The reversing fibrosis article almost reads like the affects of DAA's may be generalised across all the body's bits ....

"Recent clinical trials have shown that curing hepatitis C with antiviral medications often results in a dramatic resolution of the dense fibrosis that accompanies cirrhosis — far more than previously thought. This shows that fibrosis can be reversed.

In the laboratory, research has created a much better understanding of the biological intricacies of fibrosis.

Going back to the home analogy: We now know that healthy tissues constantly renovate their walls and other support structures. A specific type of cell called a myofibroblast appears to be at the center of this activity.

Realistic strategies for deactivating myofibroblasts have opened up the theoretical possibility that medications or other therapies might halt and even reverse fibrosis — at least in the test tube. Other biochemical pathways that regulate the process of remodeling also seem to be open to therapeutic alteration in the laboratory."

I didn't get a sense of how this all worked, but it sounds possible DAA's may have other unintended uses...? Does it breakdown the fibrosis or just give the liver a fair go at doing this?

I read somewhere about good old interferon possible being effective in reversing Peyronie's disease in as much as it broke down scar tissue??

It is something with treatment I was hanging my hat on; and it's good to see an article holding out some hope that getting rid of the bug may help with scaring as well.


Yours


Jeff

A novel approach to solving drug price gouging:

hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/05/...o-reducing-drug.html

This article isnt from the Blogspot but a good article nonetheless.

www.snopes.com/hepatitis-c-drug-prices/

Interesting! Seems like a kind of "compulsory licence" for the USA? But I could not access the original article. For anyone who wants to follow up further, here is a link:

content.healthaffairs.org/content/35/5/791

Antiviral therapies give hepatitis C cirrhosis patients similar life expectancy as general population
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/05/...ive-hepatitis-c.html

Hepatitis C Deaths in U.S. Rose in 2014, but New Drugs Hold Promise
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/05/...us-rose-in-2014.html

It’s Time to End Insurance Restrictions on Life-Saving Hepatitis C Treatments
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/05/...ce-restrictions.html

Hepatitis C virus and neurological damage
hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/05/...nd-neurological.html

Metabolic Manifestations and Complications Associated With Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

hepatitiscnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2016/05/...ifestations-and.html

I don't know if this has already posted here or somewhere else in the forum (sorry if it has)
I just received in an email this am.
www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/04/17/Study...names/1601460939760/
Note the comments at end of article

"I didn't get a sense of how this all worked, but it sounds possible DAA's may have other unintended uses...? Does it breakdown the fibrosis or just give the liver a fair go at doing this?"

DAAs must inactivate CB1 because receptor CB1 is crucial for fibroblast activation. Inactivation of CB1 exerts potent antifibrotic effect. On the other hand Hepatitis C Virus up-regulates the Cannabinoid Receptor 1

www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10....journal.pone.0012841

"I read somewhere about good old interferon possible being effective in reversing Peyronie's disease in as much as it broke down scar tissue?"

I've seen one case of Peyrone's caused by interferon.

P.

So if someone has had HCV and now has very advanced fibrosis and has had a liver cancer that will come back and they don't have enough unaffected liver to regenerate, could these DAAs help repair their fibrosis?

DAAs must inactivate CB1 because receptor CB1 is crucial for fibroblast activation.

No, there is no evidence of inactivation of CB1 by DAAs. There is evidence that DAAs destroy the Hepatitis C Virus and that the absence of HCV reduces up-regulation of CB1.

Inactivation of CB1 exerts potent antifibrotic effect.

No, but there is evidence that "CB1 inactivation has been shown to inhibit the progression of fibrosis" which differs from your claim of a potent antifibrotic effect.

On the other hand Hepatitis C Virus up-regulates the Cannabinoid Receptor 1

Agree. See point 1 above.

I've seen one case of Peyrone's caused by interferon.

Err, no. I suspect you have seen one case of Peyronie's disease coincident with interferon use and have jumped from effect to cause. Available scientific evidence is currently contradictory regarding any link to something that effects up to 5% of the male population anyway.

Hi beaches,

My reading of the available evidence is that the DAAs remove the HCV and the absence of HCV reduces inflammation. Inflammation is what causes fibrosis and eventually HCC. So if inflammation is reduced and fibrosis is not being created then the liver has a better chance of regenerating and there is less risk of HCC forming. If you have enough healthy liver to currently support you then there is an opportunity for it to regenerate. The problem is when your liver can't support you from day to day, at that point you need a transplant anyway, although no longer having HCV thanks to the DAAs means your new liver won't get infected.

Thanks Gaj
I was asking on behalf of a very dear friend. Made it through Peginf +riba..... just (long story).
She has since had a bout of HCC. Was able to have it removed, but it does come back and she doesn't have enough healthy liver to regenerate and can't have any more cut out. Not unique I'm sure but it still sucks.