Author information
1 Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 9B-16, MSC 1800, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: christopher.koh@nih.gov.
2 Digestive Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, CRC, Room 4-5722, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
3 Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CCSR Building, Room 3115A, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine Microbiology & Immunology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CCSR Building, Rm. 3115A, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis D (CHD) results from an infection with the hepatitis B virus and hepatitis D virus (HDV). CHD is the most severe form of human viral hepatitis. Current treatment options consist of interferon alfa, which is effective only in a minority of patients. Study of HDV molecular virology has resulted in new approaches entering clinical trials, with phase-3 studies the most advanced. These include the entry inhibitor bulevirtide, the nucleic acid polymer REP 2139-Ca, the farnesyltransferase inhibitor lonafarnib, and pegylated interferon lambda. This article summarizes the available data on these emerging therapeutics.