Abstract
Purpose of Review
Functional cure, defined as sustained seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), is a favorable treatment endpoint in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). As current drugs rarely induce functional cure, investigational agents with different modes of action are being developed. Combination of investigational agents may synergistically induce functional cure, and we reviewed the evidence on novel combination strategies for CHB.
Recent Findings
Combination strategies involving novel virus-targeting agents with immunomodulators can target both the virus and the host. In particular, potent HBsAg suppression with seroclearance has been reported with combinations of pegylated interferon alpha with small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs), nucleic acid polymers (NAPs), and entry inhibitors, respectively. Conversely, the combinations of virus-targeting agents or the combinations of immunomodulators have yielded mixed results.
Summary
Combination strategies involving both virus-targeting agents and immunomodulators have demonstrated encouraging data in phase I/II trials. Further studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy and safety of combination regimens.
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Abbreviations
- ASO:
-
Antisense oligonucleotide
- ASPIN:
-
Active site polymerase inhibitor nucleotide
- cccDNA:
-
Covalently-closed circular DNA
- CHB:
-
Chronic hepatitis B
- CpAM:
-
Core protein allosteric modulator
- FXR:
-
Farnesoid X receptor
- HBcAg:
-
Hepatitis B core antigen
- HBV:
-
Hepatitis B virus
- HBsAg:
-
Hepatitis B surface antigen
- IAP:
-
Inhibitor of apoptosis protein
- ImmTAV:
-
Immune-mobilizing monoclonal T-cell receptors against virus
- mRNA:
-
Messenger RNA
- NA:
-
Nucleos(t)ide analogue
- NAP:
-
Nucleic acid polymer
- NOD2:
-
Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2
- NTCP:
-
Sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide
- PD1:
-
Programmed cell death protein 1
- Peg-IFNα:
-
Pegylated interferon alpha
- rcDNA:
-
Relaxed-circular DNA
- RIG-I:
-
Retinoic acid-inducible gene I
- siRNA:
-
Small-interfering RNA
- TLR:
-
Toll-like receptor
- WHO:
-
World Health Organization
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RWHH was involved in data interpretation and drafting of the manuscript. LYM, KSC, JF, and WKS were involved in the critical revision of the manuscript. MFY was involved in the study concept, critical revision of the manuscript, and overall study supervision. All authors have seen and approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Rex Wan-Hin Wu, Lung-Yi Mak, Ka-Shing Cheung, and James Fung declare no conflict of interests.
Man-Fung Yuen is an advisory board member and/or received research funding from AbbVie, Arbutus Biopharma, Assembly Biosciences, Bristol Myer Squibb, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Merck Sharp, and Dohme, Clear B Therapeutics, Springbank Pharmaceuticals; and received research funding from Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Fujirebio Incorporation, and Sysmex Corporation.
Wai-Kay Seto received speaker’s fees from AstraZeneca and Mylan, is an advisory board member of CSL Behring, is an advisory board member and received speaker’s fees from AbbVie, and is an advisory board member, received speaker’s fees and researching funding from Gilead Sciences. The remaining authors have no conflict of interest.
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Hui, R.WH., Mak, LY., Cheung, KS. et al. Novel Combination Strategies With Investigational Agents for Functional Cure of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection. Curr Hepatology Rep 21, 59–67 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-022-00590-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-022-00590-4