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Chronic hepatitis B: Are we close to a cure?

Elisabetta Loggi1, Giovanni Vitale1, Fabio Conti1

  • 1Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Digestive and Liver Disease : Official Journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver
|July 4, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection affects 300 million globally, risking liver cancer. New strategies aim for a cure by targeting the virus and boosting immunity, moving beyond current non-curative treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology and Virology
  • Immunology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistently infects approximately 300 million people worldwide.
  • Chronic HBV infection is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  • Current antiviral therapies offer limited efficacy, focusing on viral suppression rather than cure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review novel therapeutic strategies for chronic hepatitis B.
  • To evaluate approaches aimed at improving cure rates and eliminating infected hepatocytes.
  • To assess the clinical feasibility and translational potential of emerging HBV treatments.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature on HBV cure strategies.
  • Analysis of approaches targeting different stages of the HBV life cycle.
  • Evaluation of methods to enhance the host antiviral immune response.

Main Results:

  • Several promising strategies are under investigation, including direct-acting antivirals and immunotherapies.
  • Targeting viral proteins and enhancing T-cell responses show potential for viral clearance.
  • Combination therapies may be necessary to achieve high cure rates.

Conclusions:

  • Significant progress is being made towards curative therapies for chronic hepatitis B.
  • Emerging strategies offer hope for eliminating infected cells and achieving functional cures.
  • Further research and clinical trials are essential to translate these findings into effective treatments.

Keywords:
Chronic hepatitis BCureImmune responseVirology

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