Risk of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation: Test all patients for evidence of current or prior HBV infection before initiation of HCV treatment. Monitor HCV/HBV coinfected patients for HBV reactivation and hepatitis flare during HCV treatment and post-treatment follow-up. Initiate appropriate patient management for HBV infection as clinically indicated. ALT Elevations: Perform hepatic laboratory testing prior to therapy, at treatment week 8, and as clinically indicated. For patients receiving 16 weeks of therapy, perform additional hepatic laboratory testing at treatment week 12. For ALT elevations on ZEPATIER, follow recommendations in full prescribing information. Risk of Hepatic Decompensation/Failure in Patients with Evidence of Advanced Liver Disease: Hepatic decompensation/failure, including fatal outcomes, have been reported mostly in patients with cirrhosis and baseline moderate or severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) treated with HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor-containing regimens. Monitor for clinical and laboratory evidence of hepatic decompensation. Discontinue ZEPATIER in patients who develop evidence of hepatic decompensation/failure. Risk Associated with Ribavirin Combination Treatment: If ZEPATIER is administered with ribavirin, the warnings and precautions for ribavirin also apply. 5.1 Risk of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation in Patients Coinfected with HCV and HBV Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has been reported in HCV/HBV coinfected patients who were undergoing or had completed treatment with HCV direct acting antivirals, and who were not receiving HBV antiviral therapy. Some cases have resulted in fulminant hepatitis, hepatic failure and death. Cases have been reported in patients who are HBsAg positive and also in patients with serologic evidence of resolved HBV infection (i.e., HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive). HBV reactivation has also been reported in patients receiving certain immunosuppressant or chemotherapeutic agents; the risk of HBV reactivation associated with treatment with HCV direct-acting antivirals may be increased in these patients. HBV reactivation is characterized as an abrupt increase in HBV replication manifesting as a rapid increase in serum HBV DNA level. In patients with resolved HBV infection reappearance of HBsAg can occur. Reactivation of HBV replication may be accompanied by hepatitis, i.e., increases in aminotransferase levels and, in severe cases, increases in bilirubin levels, liver failure, and death can occur. Test all patients for evidence of current or prior HBV infection by measuring HBsAg and anti-HBc before initiating HCV treatment with ZEPATIER. In patients with serologic evidence of HBV infection, monitor for clinical and laboratory signs of hepatitis flare or HBV reactivation during HCV treatment with ZEPATIER and during post-treatment follow-up. Initiate appropriate patient management for HBV infection as clinically indicated
Increased Risk of ALT Elevations During clinical trials with ZEPATIER with or without ribavirin, 1% of subjects experienced elevations of ALT from normal levels to greater than 5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), generally at or after treatment week 8. ALT elevations were typically asymptomatic and most resolved with ongoing or completion of therapy. Higher rates of late ALT elevations occurred in the following subpopulations: female sex (2% [10/608]), Asian race (2% [4/164]), and age 65 years or older (2% [3/177]) . Hepatic laboratory testing should be performed prior to therapy, at treatment week 8, and as clinically indicated. For patients receiving 16 weeks of therapy, additional hepatic laboratory testing should be performed at treatment week 12. Patients should be instructed to consult their healthcare professional without delay if they have onset of fatigue, weakness, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting, jaundice, or discolored feces. Consider discontinuing ZEPATIER if ALT levels remain persistently greater than 10 times the ULN. Discontinue ZEPATIER if ALT elevation is accompanied by signs or symptoms of liver inflammation or increasing conjugated bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, or International Normalized Ratio (INR)
Risk of Hepatic Decompensation/Failure in Patients with Evidence of Advanced Liver Disease Postmarketing cases of hepatic decompensation/failure, including those with fatal outcomes, have been reported in patients treated with HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor-containing regimens, including ZEPATIER. Reported cases occurred in patients treated with HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor-containing regimens with baseline cirrhosis with and without moderate or severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) as well as some patients without cirrhosis. Because these events are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Hepatic laboratory testing should be performed in all patients . In patients with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A) or evidence of advanced liver disease, such as portal hypertension, more frequent hepatic laboratory testing may be warranted; and patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of hepatic decompensation such as the presence of jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and variceal hemorrhage. Discontinue ZEPATIER in patients who develop evidence of hepatic decompensation/failure. ZEPATIER is contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) or those with any history of prior hepatic decompensation
Risks Associated with Ribavirin Combination Treatment If ZEPATIER is administered with ribavirin, the warnings and precautions for ribavirin, including the pregnancy avoidance warning, also apply to this combination regimen. Refer to the ribavirin prescribing information for a full list of warnings and precautions for ribavirin
Risk of Adverse Reactions or Reduced Therapeutic Effect Due to Drug Interactions The concomitant use of ZEPATIER and certain drugs may result in known or potentially significant drug interactions, some of which may lead to: Possible clinically significant adverse reactions from greater exposure of concomitant drugs or components of ZEPATIER. Significant decrease of elbasvir and grazoprevir plasma concentrations which may lead to reduced therapeutic effect of ZEPATIER and possible development of resistance. See Tables 2 and 6 for steps to prevent or manage these known or potentially significant drug interactions, including dosing recommendations .