Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Development of a Hepatitis B Virus Reporter System to Monitor the Early Stages of the Replication Cycle
09:35

Development of a Hepatitis B Virus Reporter System to Monitor the Early Stages of the Replication Cycle

Published on: February 1, 2017

14.0K

Novel developments of hepatitis B: treatment goals, agents and monitoring tools

Lung-Yi Mak1, Wai-Kay Seto1,2,3, James Fung1,3

  • 1a Department of Medicine , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , Hong Kong.

Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology
|January 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Global elimination of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is achievable with new antiviral therapies and biomarkers. Novel treatments targeting the virus or host aim to improve outcomes and potentially achieve a functional cure for CHB.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection presents significant global health challenges, contributing to morbidity and mortality.
  • Understanding CHB pathophysiology and clinical outcomes is crucial for developing effective elimination strategies.
  • Novel therapeutic targets are actively being investigated to improve treatment prospects for CHB.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the cascade of cure for CHB, considering viral genome and protein persistence.
  • To discuss novel antiviral agents in clinical development targeting the virus or host.
  • To explore the potential of new biomarkers, such as serum hepatitis B core-related antigen and HBV RNA, in predicting outcomes and monitoring treatment response.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent advances in CHB pathophysiology and treatment.
  • Analysis of novel antiviral agents in various stages of clinical development.
  • Evaluation of emerging biomarkers for predicting clinical outcomes and treatment efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Several novel antiviral agents targeting the virus or host are in clinical development.
  • Serum hepatitis B core-related antigen and HBV RNA show promise as predictive markers for hepatocellular carcinoma and virological relapse.
  • These novel markers may also serve to monitor treatment response in clinical trials.

Conclusions:

  • Global elimination of CHB faces challenges including low awareness and limited access to care.
  • Strategies like birth dose vaccination, antiviral therapy, and complication screening can reduce CHB burden.
  • Expanded treatment options and the pursuit of early functional cure are realistic goals for the next decade.
Abstract

Keywords:
Antiviral therapyHBV RNARNA interfering gene silencercirrhosiscore protein allosteric modulatorcovalently closed circular DNAcuregenome editingglobal eliminationhepatitis B core-related antigenhepatitis B virushepatocellular carcinomaimmunomodulatorintegrated DNApreventionprogrammed cell death protein 1therapeutic vaccinevaccinationviral entry inhibitor

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