A long-acting DAA system (LA-DAAS) has the potential to safely and consistently deliver DAA therapy to patients with good adherence and quality of life by decreasing the frequency of dosing, with the goal of ultimately providing single dosing. A coil-shaped gastric resident system (GRS) was developed which, due to its dimensions and mechanical properties, can remain resident in the gastric cavity and deliver multigram levels of drugs for TB, which has similar treatment challenges as HCV with frequent and daily dosing. Here, we describe the development of a LA-DAAS inspired by the multigram GRS with evaluation in a swine model of chronic HCV. We developed additional features, including integration of ethanol, temperature, and Bluetooth sensors, to enable patient engagement via wireless communication with the LA-DAAS. Such tools have improved patient adherence to HCV therapy in other preliminary devices. We then evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the LA-DAA in general and PWID populations.
Talha Faiz 