Viekira XR has been FDA approved in America. Viekira XR is an extended-release version of the hepatitis C treatment Viekira Pak (American brand name Viekira Pak / Canadian brand name Holkira Pak). This extended-release version is for patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C, including those with compensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A). The treatment includes 3 pills, taken daily with food, that may or may not be combined with ribavirin. It may be prescribed for 12 or 24 weeks of therapy.

An extended-release therapy is a treatment made up of pills that were created to slowly release over time. This slow release gives the drugs more time to work and may allow the levels of the drugs in the body to be more consistent than they may be with other treatment types. This may help lower side effects.

For more information about this FDA approval or about the hepatitis C treatment, please see the press release by AbbVie, the developer of Viekira Pak/Holkira Pak and Viekira XR.