Ultra-Sensitive HCV RNA Test Drives Breakthrough in Hepatitis C Treatment Monitoring

It is estimated that over 216,000 individuals in the UK are chronically infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Poor diagnosis rates, low treatment rates and a high annual incidence of new infection mean that chronic HCV remains a major public health challenge.

The increasing adoption of the new direct acting antivirals, (DAAs) for HCV, in combination with standard HCV therapy is driving a need for extremely accurate viral load monitoring. Due to the potency of the new therapies, a highly sensitive real-time RT PCR assay is now recommended for the effective monitoring of RNA levels during treatment with DAAs.

Roche’s expertise in HCV testing is at the forefront of pharmaceutical research and has supported pivotal clinical trials for the licensing of the new DAAs. In the backdrop of these developments, Roche is launching a brand new HCV RNA test to laboratories throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, giving doctors access to the most clinically relevant results and enabling optimal clinical decision-making.

The COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Quantitative Test, v2.0 from Roche is a real-time PCR test for the sensitive detection and accurate quantitation of HCV RNA genotypes 1 through 6.

Patients undergoing the new HCV treatment can now be monitored precisely by real-time PCR measurement. Furthermore, therapy success can be tracked at specific time points allowing the clinician to tailor treatment intervals according to viral load, offering the potential for shorter treatment times. If the patient receives no therapeutic benefit due to the virus becoming resistant to the therapy, treatment can be stopped, therefore offering a cost saving to the NHS.

“Roche is committed to staying at the forefront of HCV pharmaceutical research, commented Christopher Parker, Managing Director of Roche’s UK and Ireland diagnostics business. “Our aim at Roche, through our portfolio of assays, is to support clinicians so that they are able to provide the most effective patient management possible, creating a further step towards individualised patient care.”