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Updated: Jan 26, 2026
12:38
Structure of HIV-1 Capsid Assemblies by Cryo-electron Microscopy and Iterative Helical Real-space Reconstruction
Published on: August 9, 2011
17.8K
Recent advances in the development of HBV capsid assembly modulators
Bhavitavya Nijampatnam1, Dennis C Liotta1
1Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, United States.
Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|April 6, 2019
Summary
Capsid assembly modulators (CAMs) offer a novel strategy against persistent Hepatitis B virus (HBV) by disrupting viral replication and reducing cccDNA. This approach targets multiple steps, unlike current treatments.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Hepatology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health concern.
- Current treatments like nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) and PEG interferons are insufficient due to the persistent covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA).
- cccDNA drives viral persistence and is unaffected by existing therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the development of Capsid Assembly Modulators (CAMs) for HBV treatment.
- To summarize the progress in understanding CAMs' interaction with HBV core proteins.
- To highlight CAMs as a potential therapeutic strategy against persistent HBV infection.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific publications on HBV, cccDNA, and CAMs.
- Analysis of the mechanism of action of CAMs on HBV replication.
- Examination of the interaction between CAMs and HBV core proteins.
Main Results:
- CAMs disrupt HBV pre-genomic RNA encapsidation and cause nucleocapsid disassembly.
- CAMs impact multiple stages of the HBV life cycle.
- CAMs show potential in reducing the viral cccDNA pool, a key factor in persistence.
Conclusions:
- CAMs represent a promising therapeutic class for Hepatitis B virus.
- Understanding CAMs' interaction with HBV core proteins is crucial for further development.
- CAMs offer a novel approach to combatting persistent HBV infection by targeting viral replication and cccDNA.
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