New drug 'functionally cures' many hepatitis B virus infections

TZubiri

Are treated patients still contagious? If so, if a treated patient spreads the virus, will that new patient carry an innoculated virus? Or will they suffer a standard infection?

madanparas

The trial enrolled non-cirrhotic patients with moderate baseline HBsAg (100 to 3,000 IU/mL) already on stable nucleotide analogue therapy. That selection matters because HBV-related deaths are driven almost entirely by cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and those outcomes cluster in patients with higher antigen loads and advanced disease. The 19% result is real and independently replicated in over 1,800 patients, but whether bepirovirsen reduces the 1.1 million HBV deaths per year depends on trials in populations that weren't enrolled here.

amwet

Pretty sure the cover image is a Strokes album cover.

halapro

I'm surprised that they're working on HB cures since there's been an HB vaccine for 40 years. I'd love to see more work done towards other incurable viruses like HSV (no vaccine) and HPV (limited vaccine)

GreenSalem

Indian pharmaceutical companies will produce a biosimilar in months. This will enable it to be supplied at a non-exploitative price to Africa and Asia.