Janine French1,2,3, Stephen Locarnini4, Fabien Zoulim1,2. 1. Department of Hepatology, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon. 2. INSERM U1052- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), 69008 Lyon, France. 3. Liver Transplant Unit, Austin Health. 4. Victorian Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current aim in the HBV landscape is to develop therapeutic strategies to achieve a functional cure of infection, characterized by a sustained loss of HBsAg off-treatment. Current treatment options, that is, nucleos(t)ide analogues and IFN are effective at viral suppression but very poor at achieving HBsAg loss. This article is designed to summarize the HBV life cycle in order to review the current treatment strategies and compounds targeting different points of the virus life cycle, which are either in preclinical or clinical phases. RECENT FINDINGS: Recently our developed understanding of the HBV life cycle has enabled the development of multiple novel treatment options, all aiming for functional cure. SUMMARY: It is likely that combinations of novel treatments will be needed to achieve a functional cure, including those that target the virus itself as well as those that target the immune system.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current aim in the HBV landscape is to develop therapeutic strategies to achieve a functional cure of infection, characterized by a sustained loss of HBsAg off-treatment. Current treatment options, that is, nucleos(t)ide analogues and IFN are effective at viral suppression but very poor at achieving HBsAg loss. This article is designed to summarize the HBV life cycle in order to review the current treatment strategies and compounds targeting different points of the virus life cycle, which are either in preclinical or clinical phases. RECENT FINDINGS: Recently our developed understanding of the HBV life cycle has enabled the development of multiple novel treatment options, all aiming for functional cure. SUMMARY: It is likely that combinations of novel treatments will be needed to achieve a functional cure, including those that target the virus itself as well as those that target the immune system.