Longmont Woman Cured Of Hepatitis C, Credits New Drugs
DENVER (CBS4)- A woman from Longmont has been cured of Hepatitis C during her participation in a clinical trial testing an expensive new drug.
Kim Bossley is thanking the drug Sovaldi for changing her life.
It was 2005 when Bossley learned she had Hep C. Both Kim and her mother were infected during Kim's birth through a blood transfusion. Kim's mother died when the disease destroyed her liver.
"Her last words to me were, 'Not without a fight,'" said Bossley.
She joined a clinical trial that consisted of two drugs, Sovaldi and Ribavirin.
After 48 weeks, "The Hepatitis C was gone," said Bossley.
On Jan. 7, her mother's birthday, she learned, "I'm officially, clinically cured," said Bossley.
"It's extraordinary," said Dr. Greg Everson, her specialist at the University of Colorado Hospital.
Everson has treated nearly 500 patients with Sovaldi. He said 80 to 90 percent have been cured.
"That combo alone though was not as good as the new treatments that have just come out," said Everson.
Those treatments include Harvoni and Viekira, both can cost more than $1,000 a pill. Both have cure rates of more than 95 percent.
"This is potentially an eradicable disease. We might be able to actually eliminate Hepatitis C," said Everson.
Until then, Bossley will keep fighting, "I've reached the finish line, so to speak, in the disease but I will not cross that finish line until the last person is cured of Hepatitis C."
Everson said more insurers are starting to cover the treatments and competition may bring down the drug prices.
