With the advent of Direct Acting Antivirals, treatment of hepatitis C during pregnancy may come into reach. In a recent publication in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology researchers from the Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmacy, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, investigated the placental passage of two such drugs for the first time.
Jolien Freriksen and colleagues from RIMLS and RIHS studied the placental passage of daclatasvir and the main circulating metabolite of the drug sofosbuvir (GS-331007). In the laboratory-based study, fetal and maternal circulations of term human placentas were re-established immediately after birth. In this controlled setting, it was then studied how the placenta handled the drugs, ex vivo.
A main finding of the study was that GS-331007 and daclatasvir both cross the human placental barrier. This indicates that maternal use of sofosbuvir/daclatasvir may be beneficial in terms of fetal pre-exposure prophylaxis, but on the other hand could have adverse fetal effects. For a better and safer treatment of women living with HCV, future studies should now further chart the potential of Direct Acting Antivirals to improve maternal health and reduce the prevalence of pediatric hepatitis C.
-
Want to know more about these subjects? Click on the buttons below for more news.
RIMLSRIHSPharmacology and Toxicology Renal disorders Vascular damage
Related news items

Technology saves lives! 1.9 million euros from the Heart Foundation for developing smart watches
17 November 2021Niels van Royen is proud to be part of this consortium, initiated by Judith Bonnes, to develop a wrist band for early detection of cardiac arrest. Together with Erasmus, Reinier de Graaf and Corsano Health.
read more
RIMLS awards call for nominations
19 October 2021RIMLS awards several prizes to stimulate and honor our (young) researchers. Upcoming awards are Supervisor of the Year, Best Master Thesis, Best Publication, Best Image and more. Send your nominations now before 24 November 2021.
read more
Turbo Grants for four medical-technical research projects
19 October 2021Four TURBO grants were recently awarded to new technical-medical research proposals. The grants are part of the TURBO program, a collaboration between the University of Twente (TechMed Centre) and the Radboudumc.
read more
COVID-19 associated coagulopathy - lessons after 1 year
17 May 2021Jenneke Leentjens, Saskia Middeldorp, and colleagues, published a review on the current knowledge of COVID-19 associated coagulopathy and the role of antithrombotic therapies in the Lancet Haematology.
read more
Report of the 12th New Frontiers symposium Better care, network care? - 2 November 2018
7 November 2018No easy answers at this symposium last Friday, only challenges that can be overcome if we succeed in 5 things. First and most radically, put patients in the center of healthcare. Second, start with assessing what the local population needs and not what local professionals have to offer.
read more
Horizon 2020 funding for PedCRIN
16 January 2017For the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
read more