Author information
1Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany.
2Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Side Hannover/Braunschweig. Electronic address: Wedemeyer.Heiner@mh-hannover.de.
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection is the most severe form of viral hepatitis with high rates of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, effective antiviral treatment strategies are needed desperately. Until recently, antiviral treatment was limited to pegylated interferon-alpha. With the conditional approval of the entry inhibitor bulevirtide by the European Medicines Agency, new treatment options are now available. In addition, multiple other antiviral compounds are currently tested in clinical phase II and III trials and represent promising agents for the treatment of chronic HDV infection.