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2 clusters · 7 sources · 16 days · First seen · Last updated

Hepatitis B treatment and clinical developments

Overview

Developments in chronic hepatitis B management have focused on both new therapeutic options and updated clinical guidelines. Clinical trials for the drug bepirovirsen, developed by GSK and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, demonstrated that approximately 20% of patients achieved a ‘functional cure’—maintaining undetectable virus levels for six months after stopping medication—during international trials. The drug is currently under expedited review by the FDA, with evaluations also occurring in Japan, China, and Europe.

Concurrently, new 2026 clinical guidelines are shifting the treatment strategy from managing liver inflammation to the early suppression of viral replication. The primary criterion for antiviral treatment is moving from liver enzyme levels to viral load (HBV DNA). Research suggests that patients with moderate viremia face high risks of liver cancer and decompensated liver disease even when enzyme levels appear normal. In South Korea, where an estimated 1.2 million people live with the chronic infection, experts are emphasizing regular screenings to mitigate risks of cirrhosis and liver failure.

Entities

Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital · Ionis Pharmaceuticals · New England Journal of Medicine · Jung-ju Yoo · GSK

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Hepatitis B treatment shifts focus to viral load to prevent liver cancer

    Updated medical guidelines shift Hepatitis B treatment focus from liver enzyme levels to viral load to better prevent liver cancer and cirrhosis, even in patients with normal liver enzyme readings.

  2. [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Bepirovirsen shows promise in achieving functional cure for hepatitis B

    An experimental drug, bepirovirsen, has enabled roughly 20% of chronic hepatitis B patients in clinical trials to maintain undetectable virus levels after stopping treatment, a state known as a ‘functional cure

Sources

afamily.vn · bosa.co.kr · cafebiz.vn · cafef.vn · healthmedia.co.kr · kenh14.vn · sportschosun.com