Antiviral Drugs

At the Henry Ford Liver Disease Center, we have been leading the charge to develop more effective, safer medications for viral hepatitis. No one is better equipped to treat hepatitis than our expert team of experienced hepatologists (specially trained liver specialists), whose clinical research capabilities are unmatched in the region.

Antiviral drugs at Henry Ford Liver Disease Center

To treat viral hepatitis, our approach encompasses both advanced medical care and novel research strategies to aggressively treat hepatitis. Our antiviral drug program includes:

• Effective new therapies for hepatitis B and C
• More than 30 promising clinical trials for viral hepatitis: These new medications are designed to cure or slow the progression of viral hepatitis.
• Leaders in viral hepatitis treatment: Our physicians were among the first to pioneer interferon-based therapies. Since then, we’ve developed the next generation of novel antiviral medications, which are less toxic and produce fewer side effects.
• Experienced staff at every level of your care: Our hepatitis team features liver specialists with extensive experience treating viral hepatitis patients, along with three full-time dedicated hepatic nurses who provide care for hepatitis patients only.
• Aggressive approach to treatment: We work hard to diagnose and treat hepatitis in its earliest stages to help prevent severe long-term complications.

Hepatitis C drugs at Henry Ford

We offer a wide range of unique treatment options for hepatitis C, many of which are not yet FDA-approved for public distribution. Even if you have found little success with a previous hepatitis treatment or are not eligible for some treatments, we have access to other new therapies that may provide hope. Our hepatitis C drugs include:

• Sofosbuvir (Sovaldi): Sofosbuvir is a new drug that is revolutionizing hepatitis C treatment. It’s taken as a once-daily pill and has shown excellent cure rates when combined with other hepatitis C drugs. On its own, it has been shown to be more effective than interferon. We were among the first in the country to offer sofosbuvir.
• Ledipasvir: As one of the major centers involved in testing the efficacy of this new drug, we’re able to give you access to it before its FDA-approved.
• Harvoni (Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir Combination): It offers many of our patients a viral cure when taken as a once-daily pill over a few months.

Hepatitis B antiviral medications at Henry Ford

For many years, hepatitis B patients have had limited options for treatment and no cure. At Henry Ford, we are involved in several remarkable studies looking at new antiviral medications as potential cures for hepatitis B, including clinical trials for:

• Therapeutic vaccines
• Drugs targeting toll-like receptors (immune cell receptors responsible for recognizing invading viruses and triggering the immune system’s response) within immune system cells

Learn more about research and clinical trials at the Henry Ford Liver Disease Center.