Transplanting hepatitis C virus-infected hearts into uninfected recipients: A single-arm trial

The advent of direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has generated tremendous interest in transplanting organs from HCV-infected donors. We conducted a single-arm trial of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) from HCV-infected donors into uninfected recipients, followed by elbasvir/grazoprevir treatment after recipient HCV was first detected (NCT03146741; sponsor: Merck). We enrolled OHT candidates aged 40-65 years; left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support and liver disease were exclusions. We accepted hearts from HCV-genotype 1 donors. From May 16, 2017 to May 10, 2018, 20 patients consented for screening and enrolled, and 10 (median age 52.5 years; 80% male) underwent OHT. The median wait from UNOS opt-in for HCV nucleic-acid-test (NAT)+ donor offers to OHT was 39 days (interquartile range [IQR] 17-57). The median donor age was 34 years (IQR 31-37). Initial recipient HCV RNA levels ranged from 25 IU/mL to 40 million IU/mL, but all 10 patients had rapid decline in HCV NAT after elbasvir/grazoprevir treatment. Nine recipients achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR-12). The 10th recipient had a positive cross-match, experienced antibody-mediated rejection and multi-organ failure, and died on day 79. No serious adverse events occurred from HCV transmission or treatment. These short-term results suggest that HCV-negative candidates transplanted with HCV-infected hearts have acceptable outcomes.