New Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis B Shows Promise of a Cure

New Jersey ID Care physician co-authors chronic HBV research studies & presents findings of a functional cure at EASL Congress, June 5-8, 2024, in Milan, Italy

HILLSBOROUGH, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES, June 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Findings from a milestone study by Ronald G. Nahass, M.D., of ID Care and additional researchers to find a cure for chronic hepatitis B virus (CHBV) were released yesterday at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress 2024. The study delivered encouraging results that signal a functional cure for CHBV through sustained control of the disease.

The researched combination therapy treatment used Imdusiran (AB-729, an established HBV therapy) in combination with pegylated interferon alfa-2a (IFN, an immune system booster that has been used to treat a number of infectious diseases).

CHBV is a serious liver infection that can lead to liver damage and cancer. Treating it effectively requires reducing levels of the virus in the body and boosting the immune system. Imdusiran is an RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic designed to target and reduce the virus, including its harmful proteins. IFN is used in conjunction with Imdusiran to help stimulate the patient’s antiviral response to contain and fight off infection.

In the study, 43 patients with CHBV received Imdusiran every eight weeks for a 24-week lead-in phase. After this period, the patients were divided into four randomized groups to receive different dosages of IFN combined with Imdusiran for either a 12-week or 24-week period:

• Group A1: 24 weeks of IFN with additional doses of Imdusiran, which showed the best results.

• Group A2: 24 weeks of IFN without additional Imdusiran, which showed the next best results.

• Group B1: 12 weeks of IFN with additional doses of Imdusiran.

• Group B2: 12 weeks of IFN without extra Imdusiran.

After completing their treatment, all patients continued with their regular hepatitis B medication for another 24 weeks. At week 64 or week 76 (depending on the control group), researchers measured the levels of the virus and monitored patients’ immune response.

The results indicated that 28% of patients in groups receiving 24 weeks of IFN with or without additional Imdusiran showed very low levels of the virus at the end of treatment. They also had strong immune responses, showing high levels of protective antibodies. Throughout the study, Imdusiran was proven safe and well tolerated, with no serious side effects reported.

While the study is ongoing and continuing to collect data, these results show strong promise that Imdusiran combined with IFN could lead to not only better treatment outcomes for many CHBV patients, but could potentially lay the foundation for a cure.

About ID Care, NJ’s infectious disease specialists

ID Care’s nationally recognized team comprises the largest network of board-certified, fellowship-trained infectious disease specialists on the East Coast and the second largest in the United States. With a focus on providing superior, high-quality care and safe outcomes, ID Care’s 10 convenient New Jersey locations offer patients access to a broad array of personalized treatment options for infectious diseases, wound care, infusion and travel care. Our specialists are on staff at over 135 hospitals and healthcare facilities in New Jersey to improve patient care and outcomes. We also provide access to the latest clinical trials and research in the field of infectious disease. For more information about ID Care, New Jersey’s infectious disease specialists, visit idcare.com

Mallory MacFarlane
Vanguard Communications
+1 303-382-2999
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