New treatment principle for chronic hepatitis B and D infections/



In animal models, a novel immune therapy against the hepatitis B and D viruses—both of which can result in liver cancer—shows encouraging results. The journal Gut has reported on the outcomes of the therapy, which is being developed by scientists at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections that are chronic are the main causes of severe liver damage and liver cancer.

Although there is a hepatitis B vaccine, there are now over 250 million chronic illnesses. The danger of liver damage persists because the various treatments seldom result in the infection completely going away. Only around 25% of patients who have chronic hepatitis D are cured by current treatments.

In order to combat these viruses, Karolinska Institutet researchers are creating a novel sort of medication that they believe will have long-lasting effects.

Two parts of the treatment are intended to have different effects on the immune system. First, a DNA-based vaccination is given to induce the creation of T cells and antibodies that can neutralize both viruses. The immune system is then reinforced by administering multiple doses of a protein-based vaccine.

The therapy can shield cultured cells against HBV and HDV infection, according to the recently published study. Mice with the hepatitis B and D virus, which simulates a chronic HBV infection, were treated, and the mice produced high quantities of the required antibodies and T-cells.

Furthermore, mice containing human liver cells could be shielded from HBV and HDV infection by antibodies from treated mice. Additionally, mice with persistent HBV infection were shielded from HDV infection by these antibodies. This is especially crucial since people with persistent HBV infection run the risk of developing a serious illness if they contract HDV.

One of the two principal authors of the study and professor at the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, Matti Sällberg, says, "These are promising results." "The trial demonstrates that this is a feasible course of action and motivates us to continue creating this medication for use in people. Prior to submitting an application for our first research involving human subjects, we must complete the final safety investigations and optimize the protein-based component to enable large-scale manufacture to pharmaceutical standards."

The procedure was created at the Laboratory Medicine Department of the Swedish Karolinska Institutet. The investigations using mice implanted with human liver cells were carried out in conjunction with Ghent University in Belgium and Heidelberg University in Germany, respectively.

The Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Research Council, Vinnova, CIMED, Horizon 2020, and ALF grants from the Stockholm Region have all contributed to the research's funding.

Svenska Vaccinfabriken Produktion AB, which holds the patent applications for the therapy, was founded and is owned by co-author Lars Frelin and Matti Sällberg. According to other researchers, there are no known conflicts of interest.

Karolinska Institutet

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