Future Therapy for Hepatitis B Virus: Role of Immunomodulators
- Edward A. Pham
- Ryan B. Perumpail
- Benjamin J. Fram
- Jeffrey S. Glenn
- Aijaz Ahmed
- Robert G. GishEmail author
- Edward A. Pham
- Ryan B. Perumpail
- Benjamin J. Fram
- Jeffrey S. Glenn
- Aijaz Ahmed
- Robert G. Gish
Email author
- 1.Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUSA
- 2.Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUSA
- 3.Veterans Administration Medical CenterPalo AltoUSA
- 4.Hepatitis B FoundationDoylestownUSA
Open AccessHepatitis B (JK Lim, Section Editor)First Online: 10 November 2016
DOI: 10.1007/s11901-016-0315-9
Cite this article as: Pham, E.A., Perumpail, R.B., Fram, B.J. et al. Curr Hepatology Rep (2016) 15: 237. doi:10.1007/s11901-016-0315-9
Part of the following topical collections:
AbstractAlthough currently available therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus infection can suppress viremia and provide long-term benefits for patients, they do not lead to a functional cure for most patients. Advances in our understanding of the virus-host interaction and the recent remarkable success of immunotherapy in cancer offer new and promising strategies for developing immune modulators that may become important components of a total therapeutic approach to hepatitis B, some of which are now in clinical development. Among the immunomodulatory agents currently being investigated to combat chronic HBV are toll-like receptor agonists, immune checkpoint inhibitors, therapeutic vaccines, and engineered T cells. The efficacy of some immune modulatory therapies is compromised by high viral antigen levels. Cutting edge strategies, including RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas9, are now being studied that may ultimately be shown to have the capacity to lower viral antigen levels sufficiently to substantially increase the efficacy of these agents. The current advances in therapies for chronic hepatitis B are leading us toward the possibility of a functional cure. KeywordsHepatitis BImmune modulatorsToll-like receptor agonistsCheckpoint inhibitorsTherapeutic vaccinesEngineered T cellsRNA interferenceCRISPR/Cas9
This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hepatitis B
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