Bausch Health, Salix announce data on xifaxan after OHE hospitalization

Bausch Health (BHC) Companies and Salix Pharmaceuticals announced new data showing that people hospitalized due to overt hepatic encephalopathy had a reduced risk of OHE-related rehospitalization within 30 days if treated with Xifaxan following hospital discharge regardless of prior treatment. These findings, based on a claims-based analysis, will be presented today at Digestive Disease Week 2025 in San Diego, CA. In patients with cirrhosis, an occurrence of fully symptomatic overt hepatic encephalopathy is one of the key complications that defines the decompensated phase of the disease and is associated with worsening outcomes, morbidity, and mortality. Because in cirrhosis a damaged liver does not function normally, toxins from the gut can enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain, where they can affect neurotransmission precipitating OHE episodes. These episodes may present as alterations in consciousness, cognition, and behavior. Up to 80% of patients with cirrhosis will eventually develop some form of HE. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases treatment guidelines recommend the use of Xifaxan as an add-on treatment to lactulose after a breakthrough OHE episode to prevent further OHE recurrence. Results of this claims-based analysis showed that patients who received lactulose only upon hospital discharge had a higher risk of 30-day OHE rehospitalization compared to those who received Xifaxan regardless of pre-hospitalization treatment. Additionally, the risk of 30-day OHE rehospitalization increased with descending tiers of quality of care, defined as high-, intermediate- or low-quality based on AASLD guidelines. Results remained consistent for Medicare- and Medicaid-insured patients. The analysis used claims data from the Komodo Research Data to identify commercially-insured patients with an initial OHE hospitalization. Of the 7,880 OHE patient claims data analyzed, prior to hospitalization, 27.1 percent were treated with Xifaxan, 24.1 percent with lactulose and 48.8% received no treatment.