
Impact of Interleukin 28B (rs12979860) Genotype on Virological Responses Chronic Hepatitis C Treatment...
Hepatitis CHepatitis C RelapseObjective: Pegulated Interferon α2 plus ribavirin is a treatment of choice in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. This study was conducted to find out the frequency of different IL-28B (rs12979860) genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV genotype type 2 & 3) infection treated with Pegulated Interferon α2 plus ribavirin and to evaluate the role of IL-28B genotypes in achieving Sustained Virological Response (SVR). Methods: In this non-randomized observational study, ninety eight (98) patients with diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C were included. In all patients, Peg-IFN plus Ribavirin were given in standard doses for 24 weeks. End treatment response, sustained virological response, and relapse rate were the primary endpoints of this study. Analysis of IL28B (rs12979860) polymorphism (CC, CT and TT) was performed by PCR-RFLP protocol.

Autologous Dendritic Cell Vaccine for Treatment of Patients With Chronic HCV-Infection
Hepatitis CChronic3 moreClearance of HCV infection requires early and multi-specific HLA class I restricted CD8+ T cell and class II restricted CD4+ T cell responses to both structural (Core) and non-structural HCV proteins (NS3, NS4A, NS5A, NS5B). Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that link innate and adaptive immune responses, and play a major role in priming, initiating, and sustaining strong anti-HCV T cell immune responses. The general objective of this study is to evaluate safety, feasibility and clinical efficacy of therapeutic vaccination in genotype 1 HCV patients using autologous DCs pulsed with recombinant HCV-antigens (Core and NS3). Expected effects: DC vaccination induces Core/NS3-specific immune response and reduces viral load in patients with chronic HCV-infection.

Smartphone Based aDOT Treatment With Fixed-Dose Elbasvir and Grazoprevir in PWIDs
Hepatitis CMedication AdherencePeople who Inject Drugs (PWIDs) constitute 60% of the approximately 5 million people in the United States infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Successful HCV treatment leading to sustained viral response (SVR) is associated with increased survival, but to date successful treatment of PWIDs has been limited. Treatment of PWIDs is complex due to addiction, mental illness, poverty, homelessness, lack of positive social support, poor adherence-related skills, low motivation and knowledge, and poor access to and trust in the health care system. At Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the investigators have developed a multidisciplinary model of HCV care that integrates on-site primary care, substance abuse treatment, and HCV-related care within opiate agonist treatment clinics. To optimize HCV treatment outcomes, the investigators have introduced directly observed therapy (DOT). In the DOT model, one daily dose of oral HCV medication is administered with methadone. However, DOT is not feasible for PWIDs who are not enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment programs, and is less effective for methadone-maintained PWIDs who do not attend the methadone clinics every day. In addition, DOT has been used for decades both to measure and maximize adherence for treatment of tuberculosis infection, but the cost and logistical complexity of administering DOT for large HCV clinical programs would be prohibitive.

HCV Group Evaluation and Treatment Uptake (HCV GET-UP) Intervention
Hepatitis CSubstance Use DisordersPeople who inject drugs (PWID) represent the overwhelming majority of both HCV and HIV/HCV infected people in the United States. Though new, direct-acting HCV medications are highly efficacious and have the potential to end the HCV epidemic, few PWIDs ever initiate treatment. This study seeks to improve HCV treatment uptake and cure among HCV and HIV/HCV+ PWIDs by testing a primary care based HCV Group Evaluation and Treatment UPtake (GET-UP) intervention. If efficacious, this innovative care intervention could provide a means to reduce the growing mortality from HCV, as well as decrease the current reservoir for HCV transmission.

DAA Treatment in Donor HCV-positive to Recipient HCV-negative Liver Transplant
End Stage Liver DiseaseHepatitis CThis is a single center study for the donation of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-positive livers to HCV negative recipient patients, with preemptive, interventional treatment to prevent HCV transmission upon transplantation.

Efficacy and Safety of Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir Fixed Dose Combination in the Treatment of Hepatitis...
Hepatitis C Virus InfectionThe primary objectives of this study are to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) in treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in pediatric participants who are undergoing cancer chemotherapy.

A Study of of Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir in Adults With Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Genotype 5...
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)A Phase 3b, open-label, multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for an 8- or 12-week treatment duration in participants with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 5 or 6 infection, with or without compensated cirrhosis respectively.

Eight Weeks of Elbasvir/Grazoprevir in the Treatment of HCV Genotype 4
Hepatitis CChronicTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of a daily, fixed-dose, 8-week course combination of Elbasvir/Grazoprevir in treatment-naïve, non-cirrhotic patients who are mono-infected with hepatitis C, genotype 4.

Response Guided Treatment With Direct Acting Anti-Viral Medications for Chronic HCV Infection
Hepatitis CTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of direct acting anti-viral agents (DAA) therapy in chronically infected Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) patients using an individualized response guided therapy (RGT) model.

Understanding and Intervening With Heavy Drinking Among Patients With HIV and HCV
Alcohol Use DisorderHIV/AIDS2 moreAmong patients with HIV, especially those also infected with HCV, heavy drinking is associated with significant risks to health. However, little is known about how to best intervene with co-infected heavy drinkers, a particularly high risk group for whom targeted intervention has not been developed. Therefore, this study proposes to test a newly developed drinking-reduction intervention for patients with both HIV and HCV, which combines components of successful interventions developed for HIV and for liver disease patients. 60 HIV/HCV co-infected drinkers from HIV primary care will be recruited in order to ensure an adequate final sample size of 45 participants completing the study. A clinic recruiter will identify and refer potential participants based on their medical record, who will then be screened for eligibility by the research coordinator. Potential participants from outside of this clinic will also be recruited through self-referrals via flyers and through RecruitMe, an online based recruitment tool. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention or control condition, while ensuring that equal numbers of individuals with alcohol use disorder are assigned to each condition. The intervention condition will receive brief in-person sessions with a counselor and will be asked to use a smartphone app daily to keep track of drinking and other health behaviors for two months. The intervention sessions will include information about HIV, HCV and alcohol, and the counselor will give the participant information about their liver function and alcohol use to try to motivate them to drink less. The control condition will simply be asked to drink less and will be given pamphlets with general information on HIV, Hepatitis C, and drinking from educational websites on HIV/HCV co-infection. The intervention condition will then be evaluated to see if it was more effective at reducing drinking than the control condition.