Harvoni (ledipasvir & sofosbuvir): Hep C Drug Side Effects

What is Harvoni? What is Harvoni used for?

Harvoni is an oral tablet containing two
drugs used for the treatment of chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus
(HCV), genotype 1 in adults. The components belong to a class of drugs called
direct-acting antiviral agents. Similar drugs include

boceprevir (Victrelis),
sofosbuvir (Sovaldi),
simeprevir (Olysio),
telaprevir (Incivek), and
Viekira Pak
(ombitasvir, paritaprevir,
ritonavir, dasabuvir).

Harvoni contains ledipasvir and sofosbuvir. Sofosbuvir is converted to an
active form in the body before it is effective. The active form of sofosbuvir
directly blocks replication of the HVC by interfering with a hepatitis C virus enzyme called NS5B. Ledipasvir is an inhibitor of another hepatitis C virus enzyme called NS5A, which also
is needed for viral replication. Both drugs in Harvoni interfere with enzymes
needed by hepatitis C virus to multiply and make new viruses, thus reducing the overall viral
load. The efficacy of sofosbuvir has been established in subjects with hepatitis
C virus
genotype 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Harvoni does not require administration with interferons or ribavirin
(Rebetol). In clinical studies, 96%-99% of patients who were not previously
treated for their hepatitis C virus were cured after 12 weeks of Harvoni treatment. Cure was
defined as undetectable levels of hepatitis C virus in the blood when measured three months
after the completion of treatment. Harvoni was approved by the FDA in October,
2014.

What brand names are available for Harvoni?

Harvoni

Is Harvoni available as a generic drug?

Do I need a prescription for Harvoni?

Yes

What are the side effects of Harvoni ?

WARNING

There is an increased risk of low heart rate
(bradycardia) when Harvoni is combined with
amiodarone (Cordarone).
Harvoni should not be combined with Sovaldi
(sofosbuvir) or other drugs containing sofosbuvir.

What is the dosage for Harvoni ?

The recommended treatment dose is one tablet by mouth once daily with
or without food. Duration of treatment depends on whether patients have been
previously treated with other agents for their infection, and the presence or
absence of cirrhosis. The usual recommended duration of treatment is as follows:

Treatment-naïve patients with or without
cirrhosis: 12 weeks treatment.
Eight weeks of treatment may be used for
treatment-naïve patients without cirrhosis who have pre-treatment HCV RNA
levels less than 6 million IU/mL
Previously treated without cirrhosis: 12
weeks of treatment
Previously treated with cirrhosis: 24 weeks
of treatment.

QUESTION

Hepatitis C virus causes an infection of the ______________.
See Answer

Is Harvoni safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding?

If Harvoni is administered with ribavirin, the combination regimen is contraindicated in pregnant women and in men whose female partners are pregnant. Refer to the ribavirin prescribing information for more information on ribavirin-associated risks of use during pregnancy.

No adequate human data are available to establish whether or not Harvoni alone poses a risk to pregnancy outcomes.

It is not known whether ledipasvir or sofosbuvir, the components of Harvoni, or their metabolites are present in human breast milk, affect human milk production or have effects on the breastfed infant.

The development and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Harvoni and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from Harvoni or from the underlying maternal condition.

If Harvoni is administered with ribavirin, the nursing mother’s information for ribavirin also applies to this combination regimen. Refer to the ribavirin prescribing information for more information on use during lactation.

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Which drugs or supplements interact with Harvoni ?

Acid reducing agents which are commonly used to treat heartburn, indigestion, and GERD may decrease the effectiveness of Harvoni treatment by decreasing blood levels of ledipasvir. Examples of acid reducing agents include antacids, histamine 2 receptor antagonists, for example, famotidine (Pepcid), and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), for example, omeprazole (Prilosec).

Antacid and Harvoni administration should be separated by 4 hours. Doses of histamine 2 receptor antagonists equivalent to famotidine 40 mg twice daily or less and doses of proton pump inhibitors equivalent to 20 mg of omeprazole or lower may be given at the same time as Harvoni.

Co-administration of Harvoni and amiodarone is not recommended because the combination may cause serious heart-related side effects including symptomatic bradycardia.

Anti-seizure medications including carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal), and oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) may increase the breakdown of Harvoni, leading to reduced therapeutic effectiveness.

Taking St. John's Wort or rifampin with Harvoni may also reduce the effectiveness of treatment and is not recommended.

Certain medication used to treat tuberculosis (TB) infection may decrease the effectiveness of Harvoni treatment. Patients taking rifampin, rifabutin, or rifapentine should consult with their doctor or pharmacist before starting Harvoni.

Co-administration of Harvoni with rosuvastatin (Crestor), a cholesterol lowering medication, may significantly increase the blood concentration of rosuvastatin and increase the risk side effects such as serious muscle injury.

Drug interactions with certain HIV antiretroviral therapies and Harvoni have also been reported. Patients receiving HIV treatment are advised to consult with their doctor or pharmacist before starting Harvoni.

PREGNANCY: Although no fetal adverse events were reported in animal studies, adequate and well-controlled studies of Harvoni treatment in pregnant women are lacking. Therefore, Harvoni should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

NURSING MOTHERS: It is not known whether Harvoni is excreted into human milk. Due to the lack of conclusive safety data, Harvoni should be used cautiously while breastfeeding.

What else should I know about Harvoni ?

What preparations of Harvoni are available?

Oral tablets containing 90 mg ledipasvir and 400 mg sofosbuvir.

How should I keep Harvoni stored?

Harvoni should be stored in its original container and at room temperature, between 15 C and 30 C
(59 F and 86 F).