Search for a cure for chronic hepatitis B infection: How close are we?
Wah Wah Phyo, Alex Yu Sen Soh, Seng Gee Lim, Guan Huei Lee, Wah Wah Phyo, Alex Yu Sen Soh, Seng Gee Lim, Guan Huei Lee
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a significant unmet medical need, with 240 million chronically infected persons worldwide. It can be controlled effectively with either nucleoside/nucleotide-based or interferon-based therapies. However, most patients receiving these therapies will relapse after treatment withdrawal. During recent years, the advances in molecular biology and immunology have enabled a better understanding of the viral-host interaction and inspired new treatment approaches to achieve either elimination of the virus from the liver or durable immune control of the infection. This review aims to provide a brief overview on the potential new therapies that may overcome the challenge of persistent CHB infection in the near future.
Keywords: Antiviral therapy; Covalently closed circular DNA; Drug target; Hepatitis B; Immunomodulator.
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Source: PubMed