A wave of new therapies on the horizon
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Australia antigen, which in 1967 was identified to be the hepatitis B virus surface antigen. Although much has been accomplished over the past five decades, current antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B only achieve the sustained clearance of infection in a minority of patients. Recent success in using combinations of drugs to cure almost all cases of chronic hepatitis C has stimulated interest in a similar approach to chronic hepatitis B. The articles in this symposium review the history, pathophysiology and current management of the disease, and describe a wave of newly identified drug targets, investigational compounds and experimental strategies that are now under clinical evaluation or in preclinical development.
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