Boceprevir for Chronic HCV Genotype 1 Infection

To the Editor: Poordad et al. and Bacon et al. (March 31 issue) 1 , 2 report improved rates of sustained virologic response among patients with chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) who received boceprevir. Although these rates are similar to those seen among patients who received telaprevir, 3 – 5 the telaprevir studies did not allow erythropoietin use, so there are important distinctions between the two protease inhibitors. In the boceprevir studies, despite erythropoietin use in 41 to 49% of the patients, 2 to 3% of the patients required treatment discontinuation because of anemia. The telaprevir studies 3 – 5 showed similar discontinuation . . .