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Abstract Details
Hepatitis B: Current Status of Therapy and Future Therapies
Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2020 Jun;49(2):215-238.doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2020.01.003. Epub 2020 Mar 29.
Elias Spyrou1, Coleman I Smith2, Marc G Ghany3
Author information
1MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute, INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
2MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
3Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 9B-16, 10 Center Drive MSC 1800, Bethesda, MD 20892-1800, USA. Electronic address: marcg@intra.niddk.nih.gov.
Abstract
Despite the availability of a protective vaccine for over 3 decades, the number of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains high. These persons are at risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current treatment is effective at inhibiting viral replication and reducing complications of chronic HBV infection, but is not curative. There is a need for novel, finite therapy that can cure chronic HBV infection. Several agents are in early-phase development and can be broadly viewed as agents that target the virus directly or indirectly or the host immune response. This article highlights key developments in antiviral/immunomodulatory therapy, the rationale for these approaches, and possible therapeutic regimens.