Successful treatment of three patients with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus genotype 1b co-infection by daclatasvir plus asunaprevir

Co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) often accelerates the course of HCV-associated liver disease. Daclatasvir (DCV) plus asunaprevir (ASV) have been shown to be highly effective for HCV-infected patients with genotype 1b. Three patients co-infected with HIV/HCV genotype 1b were enrolled in this study. Prior to initiation of HCV treatment, the variants associated with L31 and Y93 in the non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) region of the HCV genome were confirmed to be absent using a direct sequencing method. Taking into consideration the lower risk of drug–drug interaction and the need for immediate treatment, the patients received 60 mg DCV once daily plus 100 mg ASV twice daily for 24 weeks. In one patient, the alanine aminotransferase level was elevated to 228 IU/L at 24 weeks after the start of treatment, but he completed the 24-week treatment course. All three patients achieved sustained viral response, without severe complications (including HIV virological rebound). Thus, in cases where NS5A variants are confirmed to be absent and patients are antiretroviral therapy-naïve, with CD4+ over 500/μL or HIV well controlled by RAL-based cART, DCV plus ASV may represent a good treatment option for HIV and HCV genotype 1b co-infected patients.