Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 3, 2025
09:35
Development of a Hepatitis B Virus Reporter System to Monitor the Early Stages of the Replication Cycle
Published on: February 1, 2017
13.8K
Advances in hepatitis B therapeutics
Vicente Soriano1, Pablo Barreiro2, Edward Cachay3
1UNIR Health Sciences School and Medical Center, 28040 Madrid, Porto Velho, Madrid 76801-059, Spain.
Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease
|October 29, 2020
Summary
New hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapies aim for a functional cure, moving beyond lifelong suppression. Promising antivirals in development show potential for HBsAg loss, a key step towards eliminating chronic HBV infection.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Oncology
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects over 250 million people globally.
- HBV is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), resulting in nearly 1 million deaths annually.
- Current nucleos(t)ide therapies suppress HBV DNA but rarely achieve HBsAg loss, necessitating lifelong treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the landscape of novel antiviral therapies targeting different steps of the HBV life cycle.
- To highlight agents in advanced clinical development and their potential to achieve a functional cure.
- To discuss the ultimate goal of HBV therapy: virus eradication through cccDNA elimination.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical development pipeline for HBV antivirals.
- Analysis of drugs targeting entry, cccDNA, translation, capsid assembly, polymerase, and secretion.
- Evaluation of agents in advanced clinical trials, including bulevirtide, JNJ-6379, ABI-H0731, ARO-HBV, and REP-2139.
Main Results:
- Several novel antivirals demonstrate higher potency than current therapies.
- ARO-HBV and REP-2139 have shown significant HBsAg loss in patients.
- Combination therapies are anticipated to enhance treatment efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Novel antivirals offer new hope for achieving a functional cure in chronic hepatitis B.
- HBsAg loss is a critical milestone towards sustained remission after treatment cessation.
- Eliminating the cccDNA reservoir remains the ultimate goal for complete HBV eradication.
Keywords:
antiviral therapybulevirtidecccDNAchronic hepatitis Bcombination therapygene editinghepatitis deltaresistanceMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics
724
Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
724
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
48.7K
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...
48.7K
01:22Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
98
In clinical practice, the direct measurement of hepatic blood flow to evaluate liver function presents significant challenges due to the intricate and specialized nature of the necessary techniques. Consequently, healthcare professionals often rely on empirical estimates derived from thorough patient examinations and liver function tests to gauge liver health. Among the tools at their disposal, the Child–Pugh and MELD scoring systems stand out for their ability to categorize and assess...
98
01:14Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Active Drug, Metabolite and Fraction of Metabolized Drug
114
In pharmacotherapy, monitoring drug concentrations is paramount, especially for drugs whose therapeutic effects hinge on both the active compound and its metabolite. Hepatic impairment profoundly influences drug potency by altering liver function. If the drug is more potent than its metabolite, impaired liver function amplifies drug activity due to elevated drug concentration levels. Conversely, if the metabolite holds greater potency, diminished liver function diminishes drug activity by...
114
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
8.2K
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
8.2K
01:26Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
121
Chronic liver disease significantly impacts drug metabolism due to alterations in hepatic blood flow and enzyme accessibility. This disruption affects the body's pharmacokinetics—the movement and processing of drugs within the system. Key enzymes crucial for metabolizing medications become less accessible, changing how drugs are processed and utilized. Furthermore, liver disease influences the synthesis of plasma proteins, such as albumin and globulins, which play critical roles in drug...
121