Hepatitis B Virus News and Research

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Interferon retreatment warning in HCV

Hepatitis C virus patients who do not respond to interferon should not receive further treatment with the drug, say the authors of a new Cochrane review.

4 Feb 2013

Epidemiology model supports 20:80 transmission rule in HCV

A new hepatitis C virus transmission model combining genetic and epidemiologic data reveals that the majority of transmission of the virus is by a minority of intravenous drug users.

4 Feb 2013

Merck full-year 2012 worldwide sales decrease 2% to $47.3 billion

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012.

1 Feb 2013

Interferon retreatment of chronic hepatitis C may be harmful

People with hepatitis C and chronic liver disease who relapsed or failed to respond to initial treatment are unlikely to improve on interferon retreatment. In fact, they may face an increased risk of dying sooner, and are likely to experience a variety of adverse effects, according to an updated systematic review published in The Cochrane Library.

31 Jan 2013

Shorter surveillance intervals detect HCC earlier

Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance in at-risk patients at intervals of less than 6 months picks up smaller tumors compared with longer intervals, show two recently published studies.

28 Jan 2013

Tattooing poses HCV risk

Hepatitis C virus infection is more common in people who have had a tattoo, research shows.

21 Jan 2013

New compounds can target RNase H enzyme in HIV

Scientists who study HIV are facing a troubling consequence of their own success. They created drugs that can now give infected patients almost normal life expectancy. However, those same drugs will eventually cause the constantly mutating virus to evolve into a form that eludes current treatments.

18 Jan 2013

Hepatitis B virus X protein represses miRNA-148a to enhance tumorigenesis

Viruses prompt oncogenic transformation by genetically altering infected cells. Several recent studies have demonstrated that viruses alter the expression of microRNAs, non-coding RNA molecules that can block the expression of target genes.

17 Jan 2013

Early hepatitis B vaccination may be ineffective in teenagers

Research reveals that many infants who receive the complete series of hepatitis B virus vaccinations have lost their protection by the time they reach adolescence.

14 Jan 2013

Adolescents may lose hepatitis B virus protection despite vaccination as infants

New research reveals that a significant number of adolescents lose their protection from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, despite having received a complete vaccination series as infants. Results in the January 2013 issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, suggest teens with high-risk mothers (those positive for HBeAg) and teens whose immune system fails to remember a previous viral exposure (immunological memory) are behind HBV reinfection.

8 Jan 2013

Newly discovered gene predicts HCV interferon response

Researchers have discovered a gene which interferes with the clearance of hepatitis C virus infection.

7 Jan 2013

Hepatitis C virus takes over invaded cell by hijacking protein making machinery

Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have figured out intimate details of how the hepatitis C virus takes over an invaded cell, a breakthrough that could point to way for new treatments for the virus.

29 Dec 2012

SVR associated with prolonged overall survival in patients with chronic HCV infection

Among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and advanced hepatic fibrosis (development of excess fibrous connective tissue), sustained virological response (SVR) to interferon-based treatment was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with patients without SVR, according to a study in the December 26 issue of JAMA.

26 Dec 2012

Zoo data show low incidence of animal–human infection

Zoonotic transmission rates are low and the risk for animal–human infection is well managed, show zoo data spanning 19 years.

19 Dec 2012

MiR-122 plays a critical role in the life cycle of hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C virus has evolved to invade and hijack the basic machinery of the human liver cell to ensure its survival and spread. Researchers at the University of North have discovered how hepatitis C binds with and repurposes a basic component of cellular metabolism known as a microRNA to help protect and replicate the virus.

19 Dec 2012

Long-term antiviral HBV treatment advocated

Study results support the long-term use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for chronic hepatitis B virus, showing that it can suppress the virus and lead to regression of fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients after 5 years’ treatment.

17 Dec 2012

Medivir commences cohort 2 simeprevir and sofosbuvir phase II combination trial in HCV GT1

Medivir AB, announced today the initiation of cohort 2 in the interferon-free phase II trial combining simeprevir with sofosbuvir (GS7977) based on a safety and efficacy planned interim analysis of cohort 1 including prior null responder HCV genotype 1 infected patients without advanced hepatic fibrosis.

13 Dec 2012