Skip to main content

Is Mavyret better than Harvoni?

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Aug 15, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Mavyret and Harvoni are both direct-acting antiviral therapies for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Mavyret contains glecaprevir and pibrentasvir and is available in the form of tablets or oral pellets. Harvoni also comes in the form of tablets and oral pellets and contains ledipasvir and sofosbuvir.

Mavyret is reported to have some advantages over Harvoni including the number of HCV genotypes it covers, the length of treatment required, and the cost of a course of treatment.

Mavyret is approved to treat chronic HCV genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 infection in patients without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A), whereas Harvoni is only approved to treat genotypes 1, 4, 5, or 6.

In addition, Mavyret is typically given for only 8 weeks, whereas Harvoni is given for 12 weeks.

Another advantage of Mavyret is the price. When Mavyret was first approved in 2017, AbbVie, which makes the drug, opted for a pricing strategy that made it cheaper than other options and which quickly allowed it to grow its market share.

The cost of Mavyret without discounts is reported to cost from $27,580.60 for an 8 week supply, whereas a 12 week supply of Harvoni costs from $US98,686.50 without discounts. An authorised generic version of Harvoni is also available and costs from $US30,268.50.

References
  • Barber MJ, Gotham D, Khwairakpam G, Hill A. Price of a hepatitis C cure: Cost of production and current prices for direct-acting antivirals in 50 countries. J Virus Erad. 2020;6(3):100001. Published 2020 Jun 18. doi:10.1016/j.jve.2020.06.001.
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Mavyret. June 2021. [Accessed August 25, 2021]. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/215110s000,209394s013lbl.pdf.
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Harvoni. March 2020. [Accessed August 25, 2021]. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/205834s032,212477s003lbl.pdf.

Read next

What is the difference between hepatitis B and C?

Some of the main differences between hepatitis B and C are:

  • Hepatitis B virus can be prevented with a vaccine, but not hepatitis C.
  • Hepatitis B and C are different viruses, but you can have both hepatitis B and hepatitis C at the same time.
  • Over 90% of people infected with hepatitis C who have not received treatment can be cured with 8 to 12 weeks of oral medications, but treatment for hepatitis B, if needed, may be long-term or lifelong.
  • There is no cure for hepatitis B, but once you recover from acute hepatitis B, you develop antibodies that protect you from the virus for life.
Continue reading

What are the new drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C?

The newest drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C include Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir), Vosevi (sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir), and Epclusa (sofosbuvir and velpatasvir). All are FDA-approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A), as well as other uses. Continue reading

How much does Mavyret cost?

The cost of Mavyret for 84 tablets is $13,909 if you are paying cash using an online discount card, however, most people do not pay this amount. If you are eligible, AbbVie offers a $5 per month Copay Savings Card. You can call 1-800-628-9738 to find out how much this medicine may cost you. Continue reading

Related medical questions

Drug information

Related support groups

Medical Disclaimer