THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF GLECAPREVIR/PIBRENTASVIR THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF HCV INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE – A REVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5234

Keywords:

Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir, Chronic Kidney Disease, Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Hepatitis C Virus, Sustained Virologic Response

Abstract

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major global health concern and is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). HCV infection may represent both a contributing factor to the development of chronic kidney disease (as an extrahepatic manifestation) and a consequence of CKD-related exposures, particularly in patients undergoing dialysis. Historically, patients with advanced CKD and those undergoing dialysis had limited and poorly tolerated antiviral treatment options. The advent of direct-acting antivirals, including the fixed-dose combination of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P), has substantially changed therapeutic management in this high-risk population.

Aim: To summarize current evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of G/P therapy in adults with HCV infection and concomitant CKD, including patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE database. Studies published within the last six years reporting original clinical data on adults with CKD treated with G/P were included. Phase III trials and real-world cohort studies were analyzed, focusing on sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR12) and safety outcomes.

Results: Across clinical trials and large real-world cohorts, G/P achieved SVR12 rates ranging from 97% to 100%, irrespective of CKD stage, dialysis status, or HCV genotype. The regimen was well tolerated, with predominantly mild adverse events and no clinically significant deterioration in renal function.

Conclusion: Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir demonstrates high antiviral efficacy and a favorable safety profile in patients with CKD, including those undergoing dialysis.

References

Bhattacharya, D., Aronsohn, A., Price, J., Lo Re, V., Heald, J., Demisashi, G., Durzy, E., Davis-Owino, A., Tynes, S., & American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases–Infectious Diseases Society of America HCV Guidance Panel. (2023). Hepatitis C guidance 2023 update: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases–Infectious Diseases Society of America recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C virus infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases, ciad319. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciad319

Curry, M. P., Flamm, S. L., Milligan, S., Tsai, N., Wick, N., Younossi, Z., & Afdhal, N. H. (2021). Prevalence of drug-drug interactions with pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C and real-world care management in the United States: A retrospective observational study. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 27(9), 1239–1248. https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2021.20550

Fabrizi, F., Cerutti, R., & Messa, P. (2021). An updated view on the antiviral therapy of hepatitis C in chronic kidney disease. Pathogens, 10(11), Article 1381. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10111381

Gane, E., Lawitz, E., Pugatch, D., Papatheodoridis, G., Bräu, N., Brown, A., Pol, S., Leroy, V., Persico, M., Moreno, C., Colombo, M., Yoshida, E. M., Nelson, D. R., Collins, C., Lei, Y., Kosloski, M., & Mensa, F. J. (2017). Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir in patients with HCV and severe renal impairment. New England Journal of Medicine, 377(15), 1448–1455. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704053

Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir 100 mg/40 mg film-coated tablets—Summary of product characteristics (SmPC)—(emc) | 763. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/763/smpc

Hung, H.-Y., Hung, W.-L., Gu, Y., & Chen, C.-Y. (2024). Direct-acting antivirals in hepatitis C treatment for renal impairment: Liver safety concerns and effectiveness in peritoneal dialysis. Biomedicines, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13010055

IDSA. (n.d.). HCV guidance. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://www.idsociety.org/practice-guideline/hcv-guidance/

Jadoul, M., Awan, A. A., Berenguer, M. C., Bruchfeld, A., Fabrizi, F., Goldberg, D. S., Jia, J., Kamar, N., Mohamed, R., Pessôa, M. G., Pol, S., Sise, M. E., & Martin, P. (2022). KDIGO 2022 clinical practice guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hepatitis C in chronic kidney disease. Kidney International, 102(6), S129–S205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2022.07.013

Jasso-Baltazar, E. A., Solís-Galindo, F. A., Muñoz-Hernández, M. A., & Quintal-Medina, I. A. (2022). Sustained virologic response in patients with hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease. Revista Medica Del Instituto Mexicano Del Seguro Social, 60(3), 283–288.

Lawitz, E., Flisiak, R., Abunimeh, M., Sise, M. E., Park, J. Y., Kaskas, M., Bruchfeld, A., Wörns, M.-A., Aglitti, A., Zamor, P. J., Xue, Z., Schnell, G., Jalundhwala, Y. J., Porcalla, A., Mensa, F. J., & Persico, M. (2020). Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in renally impaired patients with chronic HCV infection. Liver International, 40(5), 1032–1041. https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.14320

Liu, C., Yang, S., Peng, C., Lin, W., Liu, C., Su, T., Tseng, T., Chen, P., Chen, D., & Kao, J. (2020). Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and severe renal impairment. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 27(6), 568–575. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvh.13265

Liu, X., & Hu, P. (2021). Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with chronic HCV infection. Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, 9(1), 125–132. https://doi.org/10.14218/JCTH.2020.00078

Mohammad, N., & Khan, D. (2024). Efficacy of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir combination in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Cureus, 16(5), Article e60861. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.60861

Patients with renal impairment – HCV guidance. (n.d.). HCVGuidelines.org. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://www.hcvguidelines.org/guidance/patients-with-renal-impairment/

Ryu, J. E., Song, M. J., Kim, S.-H., Kwon, J. H., Yoo, S. H., Nam, S. W., Nam, H. C., Kim, H. Y., Kim, C. W., Yang, H., Bae, S. H., Song, D. S., Chang, U. I., Yang, J. M., Lee, S. W., Lee, H. L., Lee, S. K., Sung, P. S., Jang, J. W., . . . Yoon, S. K. (2022). Safety and effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals in patients with chronic hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease. The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine, 37(5), 958–968. https://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2021.486

Sommer, J., Seeling, A., & Rupprecht, H. (2020). Adverse drug events in patients with chronic kidney disease associated with multiple drug interactions and polypharmacy. Drugs & Aging, 37(5), 359–372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-020-00747-0

World Health Organization. (2022). Updated recommendations on treatment of adolescents and children with chronic HCV infection, and HCV simplified service delivery and HCV diagnostics (1st ed.).

Wang, S.-J., Huang, C.-F., Chang, T.-S., Lo, C.-C., Hung, C.-H., Huang, C.-W., Chong, L.-W., Cheng, P.-N., Yeh, M.-L., Peng, C.-Y., Cheng, C.-Y., Huang, J.-F., Bair, M.-J., Lin, C.-L., Yang, C.-C., Kuo, H.-T., Hsieh, T.-Y., Lee, T.-H., Lee, P.-L., . . . Yu, M.-L. (2025). Real-world efficacy and safety of universal 8-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with chronic hepatitis C with early chronic kidney disease or pre-end-stage renal disease: Insights from a nationwide hepatisis C virus registry in Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences, 41(2), Article e12929. https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.12929

Xu, H.-Q., Wang, C.-G., Xiao, P., & Gao, Y.-H. (2020). Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for chronic hepatitis C patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, 8(3), 267–276. https://doi.org/10.14218/JCTH.2020.00047

Yang, C.-C., Huang, C.-F., Chang, T.-S., Lo, C.-C., Hung, C.-H., Huang, C.-W., Chong, L.-W., Cheng, P.-N., Yeh, M.-L., Peng, C.-Y., Cheng, C.-Y., Huang, J.-F., Bair, M.-J., Lin, C.-L., Yang, C.-C., Wang, S.-J., Hsieh, T.-Y., Lee, T.-H., Lee, P.-L., . . . Yu, M.-L. (2024). Real-world efficacy and safety of universal 8-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for treatment-naïve patients from a nationwide HCV registry in Taiwan. Infectious Diseases and Therapy, 13(6), 1199–1213. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-024-00968-5

Yen, H.-H., Su, P.-Y., Zeng, Y.-H., Liu, I.-L., Huang, S.-P., Hsu, Y.-C., Chen, Y.-Y., Yang, C.-W., Wu, S.-S., & Chou, K.-C. (2020). Glecaprevir–pibrentasvir for chronic hepatitis C: Comparing treatment effect in patients with and without end-stage renal disease in a real-world setting. PLOS ONE, 15(8), Article e0237582. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237582

Downloads

Published

2026-05-18

How to Cite

Krawczyk, P., Szreder, B. ., Chodań, T. ., Lewicka, M., Łapaj, M., Pietrzyk, P., Ślusarczyk, J., Stanek, N., Noweta, Z., & Jagiełło, A. (2026). THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF GLECAPREVIR/PIBRENTASVIR THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF HCV INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE – A REVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE. International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science, 1(2(50). https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5234

Most read articles by the same author(s)