Elbasvir is a drug approved by the FDA in January 2016[1] for the treatment of hepatitis C. It was developed by Merck and completed Phase III trials, used in combination with the NS3/4A protease inhibitor grazoprevir under the trade name Zepatier, either with or without ribavirin.

[2] Elbasvir is a highly potent and selective NS5A inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus NS5A replication complex.

Nevertheless, combination products of this type represent the most successful approach yet developed for actually curing hepatitis C, rather than merely slowing the progression of the disease.

Combination with drugs that induce this enzyme, such as efavirenz, carbamazepine or St. John's wort, can lead to ineffectively low plasma levels of elbasvir.

In hepatitis C patients, steady state concentrations are found after about six days.