ledipasvir + sofosbuvir at a glance
Medicine class
Direct-acting antiviral combination
Main use
Chronic hepatitis C in adults and children aged 3 years and over
Food
Tablets and granules may be taken with or without food
Specialist care
Treatment should be started and monitored by a clinician experienced in hepatitis C
What is ledipasvir + sofosbuvir used for?
Licensed for chronic hepatitis C in adults and children aged 3 years and over. Suitability depends on factors including viral genotype, previous treatment, cirrhosis and transplant status.
Chronic hepatitis C in adults
Chronic hepatitis C in children aged 3 years and over
How does ledipasvir + sofosbuvir work?
Ledipasvir blocks the hepatitis C NS5A protein, disrupting viral RNA replication and virus-particle assembly. Sofosbuvir is converted inside cells into an active form that blocks NS5B RNA polymerase and stops new viral RNA forming.
ledipasvir + sofosbuvir preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 90 mg + 400 mg
How to take ledipasvir + sofosbuvir
Follow the specialist team’s instructions and do not stop treatment without discussing it with them.
Swallow film-coated tablets whole, with or without food. Avoid chewing or crushing them because they taste bitter.
Granules may be swallowed directly, with water, or sprinkled onto non-acidic soft food at or below room temperature.
When mixed with food, take all the granules within 30 minutes without chewing them.
ledipasvir + sofosbuvir side effects
Common or expected effects
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Rash
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe slowing of the heartbeat or heart block, mainly reported with amiodarone or other heart-rate-lowering medicines
- Severe blistering or peeling skin reaction, including Stevens–Johnson syndrome
ledipasvir + sofosbuvir in pregnancy
Human pregnancy information is limited, so use is preferably avoided as a precaution. Contact the specialist team if pregnant, planning pregnancy or pregnancy occurs. If ribavirin is also prescribed, its strict pregnancy-prevention requirements apply.
ledipasvir + sofosbuvir while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether the active ingredients or their metabolites enter human milk, and risk to an infant cannot be excluded. Use while breastfeeding is not advised; discuss feeding options with the specialist team.
ledipasvir + sofosbuvir interactions
All prescription, over-the-counter and herbal products must be checked before treatment.
Amiodarone
Can cause severe bradycardia or heart block. Avoid unless no suitable alternative exists; specialist cardiac monitoring is required if unavoidable.
Carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampicin, rifabutin and St John’s wort
Can substantially reduce antiviral exposure and are contraindicated.
Rosuvastatin
Exposure and risk of muscle injury can increase; concomitant use is contraindicated.
Common questions about ledipasvir + sofosbuvir
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Can ledipasvir + sofosbuvir be taken with food?
Yes. The tablets and granules may be taken with or without food.
Can the tablets be crushed or chewed?
They should be swallowed whole because the contents taste bitter.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.