An experimental treatment for chronic hepatitis B has shown encouraging results in two large phase 3 clinical trials, with around one in five participants achieving a functional cure after completing a finite course of treatment. The studies involved more than 1,800 adults across 29 countries and evaluated bepirovirsen, a therapy designed to help the immune system regain control of the virus rather than simply suppressing it.
Currently, most people with chronic hepatitis B require lifelong antiviral medication, as existing treatments rarely eliminate the virus completely. In the trial, around 20% of participants receiving bepirovirsen achieved a sustained functional cure, compared with none of those receiving a placebo. Response rates were even higher, at around 26%, among participants with lower levels of the virus at the start of the study.
While further research is needed to improve response rates and assess long term outcomes, the findings represent an important step towards new treatment options for the more than 250 million people worldwide living with chronic hepatitis B.
Learn more: Hepatitis B: Bepirovirsen helps 1 in 5 achieve functional cure