Hepatitis B Virus News and Research

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Low-dose oral interferon may reduce risk of HCV relapse in patients with mild liver fibrosis

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to serious diseases such as cirrhosis and cancer of the liver, so viral clearance and prevention of relapse are important treatment goals.

6 Mar 2014

Merck announces new data from ongoing C-WORTHY Study in HIV/HCV co-infected patients

Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced new data from HIV/HCV co-infected patients in the ongoing C-WORTHY Study, a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Merck's all-oral, once-daily regimen combining MK-5172, an investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and MK-8742, an investigational HCV NS5A replication complex inhibitor.

5 Mar 2014

AbbVie's PEARL-III study meets primary, secondary endpoints in patients with chronic GT1b HCV infection

The first detailed results from AbbVie's pivotal phase III study, PEARL-III, were presented today as part of the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) press conference and will also be presented as a late-breaker at the conference on March 4.

4 Mar 2014

Arrowhead receives approval to initiate Phase 2a clinical trial of ARC-520 for chronic HBV infection

Arrowhead Research Corporation (NASDAQ: ARWR), a biopharmaceutical company developing targeted RNAi therapeutics, today announced that it received regulatory approval to begin a Phase 2a clinical trial of ARC-520, its RNAi-based drug candidate for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

4 Mar 2014

Scientists discover how viral DNA of HBV can be degraded in cell nucleus

Scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technische Universität München have discovered how the viral DNA of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be degraded in the cell nucleus of liver cells, consequently allowing the virus to be eliminated.

24 Feb 2014

Study findings suggest potential targets for treating HCV

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a previously unrecognized tactic to outwit antiviral responses and sustain a long-term infection. It also turns out that some people are genetically equipped with a strong countermeasure to the virus' attempt to weaken the attack on it.

11 Feb 2014

Gilead submits NDA to FDA for fixed-dose combination of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for hepatitis C infection

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that the company has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a once-daily fixed-dose combination of the NS5A inhibitor ledipasvir (LDV) 90 mg and the nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir (SOF) 400 mg for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection in adults.

11 Feb 2014

TSRI scientists discover unusual protein that probably helps some bacteria evade immune response

A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has discovered an unusual bacterial protein that attaches to virtually any antibody and prevents it from binding to its target. Protein M, as it is called, probably helps some bacteria evade the immune response and establish long-term infections.

7 Feb 2014

Alabama experts develop living document that includes new therapies for Hepatitis C virus

When treatment guidelines for a particular disease emerge, they are often published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, which can take up to three years. One University of Alabama at Birmingham infectious diseases expert recently helped develop new Hepatitis C virus (HCV) guidelines that can be updated and published as new data emerge and new therapies are approved.

5 Feb 2014

AbbVie's global sales reduce 1.8% to $5.111B in fourth quarter 2013

AbbVie today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended Dec. 31, 2013.

31 Jan 2014

Daclatasvir–sofosbuvir combo effective in chronic HCV infection

Research shows that the combination of daclatasvir and sofosbuvir leads to high rates of sustained virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, including those who have not responded to previous therapy.

24 Jan 2014

Research roundup: Nursing home transitions; the impact of raising Medicare premiums; workers' views of job-based insurance

Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.

20 Jan 2014

Gilead Sciences gets marketing authorization from European Commission for Sovaldi 400 mg tablets

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) 400 mg tablets, a once-daily oral nucleotide analogue polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection in adults, in combination with other antiviral agents (ribavirin and pegylated interferon alpha (peg-IFN)).

18 Jan 2014

Monitoring individuals with chronic HBV is cost-effective strategy for China

A novel study determined that monitoring inactive chronic hepatitis B (HBV) carriers is a cost-effective strategy for China. However, results published in Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that increasing treatment, monitoring and adherence to therapy are necessary to achieve significant health benefits at the population level.

16 Jan 2014

New drug combination proves effective in treatment of hepatitis C

Efforts to cure hepatitis C, the liver-damaging infectious disease that has for years killed more Americans than HIV/AIDS, are about to get simpler and more effective, according to new research at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere.

16 Jan 2014

Hepatitis C infection varies widely among different Hispanic groups in the U.S.

The first study of hepatitis C infection among different Hispanic groups in the U.S. has found that infection with the virus varies widely, with Puerto Rican Hispanics much more likely than other groups to be infected. The study, led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, highlights which Hispanic populations would benefit most from increased hepatitis C testing and treatment.

15 Jan 2014

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and herpesvirus saimiri: an interview with Elazar Rabbani, Chief Executive Officer of Enzo

Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition where fibrotic or scarred tissue progressively develops in the lungs. In some cases the particular cause is known but in others it remains unknown and is given the term “idiopathic”.

14 Jan 2014

On-site testing for HIV, STIs declines substantially between 2000 and 2011: Study

A survey of opioid treatment programs finds that the proportion offering on-site testing for human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections declined substantially between 2000 and 2011, despite guidelines recommending routine opt-out HIV testing in all health care settings, according to a study appearing in the December 25 issue of JAMA.

25 Dec 2013

Data show that HCV genotype-1 infected patients may benefit from faldaprevir

Data show that Boehringer Ingelheim’s second-generation protease inhibitor faldaprevir, when used in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, was effective even with the presence of naturally-occurring mutant variants of the hepatitis C virus, such as the NS3 Q80K polymorphism

16 Dec 2013

HCV antiviral therapy also improves diabetes outcomes

Researchers from Taiwan reveal that antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus improves kidney and cardiovascular outcomes for patients with diabetes. Results of the study published in Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that incidences of kidney disease, stroke, and heart attack were lower in patients treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin compared to HCV patients not treated with antivirals or diabetic patients not infected with the virus.

12 Dec 2013