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Category Archives: Hepatitis D Drug Development

300 Million Reasons, About Hepatitis B, HBV, Hepatitis B Awareness, Hepatitis B Research, Hepatitis B Treatment, Hepatitis D Drug Development, United States

Podcast Recap: Current Treatments in Development for Hepatitis B with Dr. John Tavis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a recent B Heppy episode, Dr. John Tavis, a molecular microbiologist at St. Louis University School of Medicine, shared updates on curative therapies for hepatitis B along with insights on how treatments for hepatitis B are researched and approved for use. 

Hepatitis B is a virus that can cause serious liver disease such as liver cancer or liver failure if undiagnosed, unmanaged or without proper intervention and treatment. While there is no cure for hepatitis B at this time, there are treatment options available to manage the virus. Research to find an optimal and functional cure for hepatitis B is ongoing and clinical trials have been very successful in advancing research pertaining to the cure.  

In some experimental studies conducted around the globe, 30% to 40% of patients have achieved functional cure. In smaller studies, approximately 50% of patients have obtained functional cure. However, research on the cure and the progression of these clinical interventions are still ongoing. While the future looks promising for a functional cure for hepatitis B, existing treatments should not be undermined or overlooked as they provide effective protection from serious liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.  

There are key terms that are important to understand related to drug development and the hepatitis B space. Below we describe complete, functional and partial cure definitions according to researchers.  

Complete, Functional, and Partial Cure 

Complete Cure: Elimination of all traces of hepatitis B including loss of surface antigen and HBV DNA. 

Functional Cure: the loss of hepatitis B surface antigen and undetectable HBV DNA levels, although trace amounts of HBV DNA may persist in the liver.  

Partial Cure: A stable suppression of the virus with undetectable HBV DNA levels. 

The progress on the cure: 

Current progress and research indicate that a combination of drugs will provide the best outcome as it is not likely that only one drug will achieve a functional cure for hepatitis B at this time. There are different types of drugs that are being studied and each treatment focus on a different aspect of the lifecycle of the virus to prevent replication and growth.  

Some of the current options being studied for hepatitis B treatment include: 

Antisense RNA and SiRNA: These drugs work by suppressing and destroying the viral messenger RNA, which is crucial to make proteins and replicate HBV DNA. Current drugs that use this mechanism to target the virus include Bepirovirsen. Clinical trials have shown effective reduction in HBV DNA and viral proteins.  

Suppressing and destroying the viral RNA (destroys proteins—RNA makes proteins,  

CAMs (capsid assembly modifiers): These drugs work by disrupting the formation of capsids. Capsids provide a protective space for the genetic material of the virus to make sure it is able to transfer to the host cell without any complications. By disrupting the formation of the capsids, the virus is unable to replicate itself as the genetic material gets destroyed during the process.  

NAPs (Nucleic Acid Polymers): These drugs work by blocking secretion of the viral surface antigen outside of the cells so the virus is unable to spread to other cells. In the process, the surface antigen drops in the bloodstream and the immune system is alerted to attack the virus.  

Nucleotide Analogues: These drugs are the first-line treatments for hepatitis B. Antiviral treatments like entecavir and tenofovir are incredibly effective in suppressing HBV viremia and preventing progression of the virus from becoming cancerous. Although they are not considered functional cure, these drugs have low toxicity and are effective in treating people living with hepatitis B.  

 

To stay updated on developments in hepatitis B research, check out our Drug Watch page: https://www.hepb.org/treatment-and-management/drug-watch-2/ 

To listen to the full episode on our podcast, B Heppy, click here. https://bheppy.buzzsprout.com/1729790/13238616-current-treatments-in-development-for-hepatitis-b 

Clinical Trials, HDV, Hepatitis D Drug Development, Hepatitis Delta (HDV), Liver, Liver Health, Research

Drug Profile: Three Hepatitis Delta Therapies That We Hope to See Widely Available Soon

 

 

 

 

The full extent of hepatitis delta’s (HDV) global disease burden is still unknown and treatment options for HDV have been limited. However, there are three promising up-and-coming drugs to treat HDV patients. This blog post details the drugs’ current phase of development and testing, how well they work for patients in the real world, and their current path toward regulation and market availability. 

Bulevirtide (Hepcludex) 

Gilead Sciences Inc. has been seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for bulevirtide, or Hepcludex, since 2021. In 2020, Gilead acquired MYR, a German pharmaceutical company that had developed the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) drug. At the time that it was acquired, Hepcludex had already been conditionally authorized for use in Germany, France, and Austria (MYR Pharmaceuticals, 2020). Gilead, which is based in California, in the U.S., hoped to accelerate the global launch of Hepcludex. Since then, however, Hepcludex remains in regulatory limbo. In October 2022, the FDA announced the rejection of Hepcludex, citing concerns around the manufacturing and delivery of the drug. Gilead responded by stating that they plan to resubmit Hepcludex for approval as soon as possible (Dunleavy, 2022). Six months after the FDA rejection, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which is the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) committee responsible for conveying its opinions on medicinal products to the public, stated that it recommends Hepcludex for full marketing authorization in Europe. Since its conditional approval, a Phase 3 trial (which utilized data from patients in Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden, and the U.S.) has shown it to be safe and effective for HDV patients. If the European Commission fully approves Hepcludex, it will be the only authorized HDV treatment available in Europe (Dunleavey, 2023).  

Lonafarnib 

At the end of 2022, Eiger Biopharmaceuticals announced that lonafarnib reached an important milestone in its phase 3 trial.  

The trial includes two regimens in patients with chronic HDV:  

  1. 1. Lonafarnib boosted with ritonavir, a protease inhibitor, which interferes with the ability of certain enzymes to break down proteins, often used in combination with other therapies for antiviral activity (this is an all-oral therapy), and
  2. 2. Lonafarnib in combination peginterferon alfa, an antiviral and immunosuppressive, which either completely or partially suppresses the immune system, often used to treat hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) patients (this is a combination therapy).

Both treatment arms showed statistical significance over the placebo arm of the trial. The placebo arm is used as a control in drug testing and has no therapeutic effect on patients. The results showed three noteworthy findings: 1. After 48 weeks (about 11 months) of treatment with the all-oral regimen, a small number of patients may achieve reduced viral load and improved liver function. 2. Combining lonafarnib and ritonavir with peginterferon alfa showed the potential to almost double the effectiveness of the drugs. 3. Combination treatment may lead to significant liver tissue improvement. Researchers found that most adverse symptoms related to treatment were either mild or moderate in severity, with gastrointestinal issues being the most frequent (Eiger Biopharmaceuticals, 2022). 

Peginterferon Lambda 

In June 2023, the results of a phase 2 trial looking at the safety and efficacy of peginterferon lambda (also an Eiger Biopharmaceuticals product) in HDV patients were published. Previously, peginterferon lambda showed a good tolerability profile (or the degree to which patients can tolerate negative treatment symptoms) in patients with HBV and HCV when compared to peginterferon alfa. In this trial, patients received 120-mcg or 180-mcg peginterferon lambda injections over 48 weeks, followed by 24 weeks of post-treatment follow-up. Researchers found that 180-mcg injections were more effective in HDV patients compared to the 120-mcg injections group. Results showed that with 48 weeks of 180 mcg treatment, patients showed a significant reduction in HDV RNA, the molecules responsible for perpetuating the virus in HDV patients. 36% of patients’ HDV RNA levels were undetectable. Some of the adverse symptoms patients experienced were flu-like symptoms and elevated transaminase levels, or enzymes that are related to a fatty liver. Most adverse symptoms were mild or moderate in nature and were resolved without additional treatment (Etzion et al, 2023). 

These three drug therapies show promise for HDV patients. Hepcludex is well on its way to becoming fully authorized in Europe after its three-year conditional approval and recent Phase 3 trial results. Lonafarnib’s phase 3 trial results are encouraging and Eiger, its manufacturer, plans to begin meeting with regulatory agencies, such as FDA and EMA, to discuss regulatory submissions (Eiger Biopharmaceuticals, 2022). Peginterferon lambda has shown a higher tolerability in patients with a lower adverse event rate than peginterferon alfa, which has been modestly used for the treatment of HDV over the past several decades (Etzion et al, 2023). Peginterferon lambda still has a ways to go before regulatory discussions, considering that results have just been published from its Phase 2 trial. Typically, in Phase 2 trials, researchers seek to learn whether the treatment they are studying is effective in fighting the disease. Phase 3 will test whether peginterferon lambda is more effective than already available, standard treatments. Hopefully, these three drugs continue to show positive results for HDV patients and will become widely available over the next few years. There are a number of other HDV drugs currently in development, but these are still in the early stages of clinical trial testing. You can stay up to date on the latest developments of these drugs by checking out the Hepatitis Delta Connect Drug Watch page. 

Dunleavy, K. (2022, October 28). Gilead hits surprise FDA rejection for hepatitis D drug already authorized in Europe for 2 Years. Fierce Pharma. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/gilead-gets-fda-rejection-hepatitis-d-drug-already-authorized-europe-two-years 

Dunleavy, K. (2023, May 5). After FDA rejection, Gilead’s Hepcludex looks set for full EU NOD. Fierce Pharma. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/gileads-hdv-drug-hepcludex-gets-thumbs-chmp 

Eiger announces both lonafarnib-based treatments in pivotal phase 3 D-LIVR trial in Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) achieved statistical significance against Placebo in composite primary endpoint. Eiger BioPharmaceuticals. (n.d.). https://ir.eigerbio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/eiger-announces-both-lonafarnib-based-treatments-pivotal-phase-3 

Etzion, O., Hamid, S., Lurie, Y., Gane, E. J., Yardeni, D., Duehren, S., Bader, N., Nevo-Shor, A., Channa, S. M., Cotler, S. J., Mawani, M., Parkash, O., Dahari, H., Choong, I., & Glenn, J. S. (2023). Treatment of chronic hepatitis D with peginterferon lambda-the phase 2 LIMT-1 clinical trial. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 77(6), 2093–2103. https://doi.org/10.1097/HEP.0000000000000309  

MYR Pharmaceuticals. (2020, September 17). Myr Pharmaceuticals launches HEPCLUDEX® in Germany, France and Austria. PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and marketing. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/myr-pharmaceuticals-launches-hepcludex-in-germany-france-and-austria-301133006.html 

HDV, Hepatitis D Drug Development, Hepatitis Delta (HDV), Research

What You Need to Know About the 2022 Liver Meeting and How It Relates to Hepatitis Delta

 

 

 

 

This year, the annual Liver Meeting, hosted by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), was held in Washington, D.C. The featured presentations included new innovations in liver transplant surgery, disease modeling (which is a process that uses cells to show how a disease develops and to test possible treatment approaches), and drug development. While an effective, functional cure for hepatitis B virus (HBV) is still 5-10 years away, researchers, scientists, healthcare providers, and people with lived experience all came together and agreed that more needs to be done to reduce the burden of liver diseases and improve health outcomes now. One highlight of the meeting was Dr. Francis Collins, former director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and special advisor to President Biden, hosting a special session to introduce a national hepatitis C elimination plan for the U.S. Unfortunately, this plan is focused on hepatitis C. As a response, the Hepatitis B Foundation will soon send an advocacy letter pushing for the inclusion of hepatitis B and hepatitis delta in this plan. Make sure you are signed up for our Action Center alerts to stay engaged with hepatitis B advocacy efforts.

Of particular note at this year’s meeting were the presence of many patient advocates and people with lived experience, and an increased focus on hepatitis delta. One important hepatitis delta poster presentation was delivered by Dr. Tatyana Kushner of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, entitled “HDV Patient Perspective: The Impact of Disease and Current Unmet Needs.” By including the perspectives of people living with hepatitis delta virus (HDV), this study aimed to empower the patient community. Dr. Kushner and her colleagues collected data on people’s quality of life to identify unmet needs, barriers and gaps in HDV care (including disease management and access-to-care inequities).

The researchers found that a person’s care is affected in two ways: In the care they receive for their clinical diagnosis and their emotional journey after diagnosis. The participants’ experience of care was often negatively impacted by having a delayed HDV diagnosis, and limited access to specialized care and tolerable treatment options. Findings describe that the lack of specific and acceptable treatment options for hepatitis delta left people with little hope, which put an emotional burden on their life post-diagnosis. Due to the gaps in providers’ knowledge of HDV, participants held little trust in their healthcare providers. The study participants also shared that they suffered emotionally due to the stigma attached to their diagnosis.

Dr. Kushner and her colleagues call for an increased effort to educate healthcare providers on hepatitis delta, as their lack of HDV-specific knowledge drives health disparities or differences between groups, where one group is more burdened by a disease than the other. These are driven by unequal opportunities to achieve good health (CDC, 2020). Health disparities are preventable, and educating providers is the first step to overcoming these inequalities. Educating providers on HDV will lead to more rapid identification of the disease, as they will have a better understanding of the signs, symptoms and risk factors for hepatitis delta. Increasing advocacy efforts for point-of-care testing for both HBV and HDV in the U.S. will increase levels of testing and earlier identification of people at risk for the diseases. Timely diagnosis allows for people to be linked to specialty care earlier, ultimately improving health outcomes. Improving community awareness of HDV will combat stigma and likely reduce testing hesitancy, which can improve health outcomes. The researchers call for drug developers to meet the needs of the patient community by developing tolerable and hepatitis delta-specific treatments.

In terms of drug development, researchers presented on antiviral treatments for people living with HDV and discussed preferred outcomes of treatment, based on what they believed to be most helpful to each individual’s physical health. To understand these treatment considerations, it is important to review how HDV functions. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) uses a person’s RNA (ribonucleic acid) to produce and replicate the virus, so high HDV RNA levels in the blood indicate severe infection, and low or undetectable HDV RNA levels indicate that the virus is not rapidly reproducing (Stephenson-Tsoris & Casey, 2022). A virological response is defined as a long-term period of low-level replication that leads to undetectable HDV RNA levels in the blood six months after stopping treatment, and this indicates viral suppression (Yamashiro et al., 2004). A biochemical response is defined as normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after antiviral treatment (Kim et al., 2022). When liver cells are damaged, they release ALT into the bloodstream, so high levels of ALT indicate that one’s liver is diseased or damaged (MedlinePlus, n.d.). ALT normalization is considered a good indicator that antiviral therapy is working because it means that there is less liver damage, liver disease is less severe, and people living with HBV/HDV are at less risk of harm (Kim et al., 2022).

One study of interest from the meeting was the D-LIVR study by Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc.: Lonafarnib Global Study in Chronic Hepatitis Delta. This study consisted of 400 participants, who were all on treatment for 48 weeks, then followed up with researchers 24 weeks after treatment. In total, 50 participants received pegylated interferon (Peg IFN) treatment for 48 weeks; 125 participants received a combination of Lonafarnib, Ritonavir and Peg IFN; and 175 participants received the oral antiviral therapy Lonafarnib and Ritonavir. There were also 50 people on a placebo treatment. A placebo is a harmless pill that has no effect on a person, and is often used in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of a specific treatment being studied, in this case, Peg IFN, Lonafarnib and Ritonavir (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021). The researchers decided that they wanted to see a decline in HDV RNA (virologic response) and normalization of ALT (biochemical response) at week 48 as their study’s main outcome or proof that the treatment could work. In this study, an acceptable virologic response was defined as a “2log decline of HDV RNA levels,” which means they wanted to see HDV RNA levels decrease by 99% from the original levels that were measured before starting treatment (Wikipedia, n.d.).

Pegylated interferon (Peg IFN) is a protein-based medication that prompts the body to activate its natural immune system (induce innate antiviral response) (Zhang & Urban, 2021; Drugbank, n.d.). For Peg IFN-based treatments, researchers determine that undetectable HDV RNA six months after stopping treatment is desirable. However, researchers emphasize the importance of yearly HDV RNA post-treatment screening to monitor for viral relapses after treatment. For long-term treatment (over 48 weeks), a 99% reduction of HDV RNA concentration levels is an appropriate virologic response for non-interferon-based treatments, but more studies must be done to establish whether a person living with hepatitis delta is actually benefiting from the treatment (this is called clinical benefit). When establishing the clinical benefits for non-interferon-based treatments (or any new treatment), researchers can measure delays in disease progression or improvement of signs and symptoms of the disease, which includes symptom relief, improved functioning and improved survival rates (Lee, n.d).

Based on a variety of extensive studies (not just D-LIVR), the researchers decided to combine virologic and biochemical responses to try to demonstrate the clinical benefit of using ongoing antiviral treatment as a functional cure for hepatitis delta. They concluded that acceptable endpoints for HDV treatment studies include undetectable HDV RNA six months after stopping treatment, the loss of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and ALT normalization in people living with chronic hepatitis delta. This can also be considered a functional cure since there are undetectable levels of HBsAg and HDV RNA in the blood for a sustained period of time, even after finishing treatment (Wong et al., 2022).

While there is still time before we overcome the burden of hepatitis delta, the presentations from The Liver Meeting show us that researchers and scientists are constantly working to improve the lives of people living with hepatitis delta. Development toward a functional cure is progressing, and advocates are incorporating peoples’ lived experiences and perspectives into drug development and education. Collaboration between all these groups is the best way to move forward in the fight against hepatitis delta.

For more information on hepatitis delta, you can visit the Hepatitis Delta Connect website or review this hepatitis delta fact sheet.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Health disparities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/disparities/index.htm 

Drugbank. (n.d.). Peginterferon alfa-2a. Drugbank. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00008

Harvard Health Publishing. (2021, December 13). The power of the placebo effect. Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect 

Kau, A., Vermehren, J., & Sarrazin, C. (2008). Treatment predictors of a sustained virologic response in hepatitis B and C. Journal of Hepatology, 49(4), 634-651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2008.07.013

Kim, S. H., Cho, E. J., Jang, B. O., Lee, K., Choi, J. K., Choi, G. H., Lee, J. H., Yu, S. J., Kim, Y. J., Lee, Y. B., Yoon, J. H., Kim, J. W., Jeong, S. H., & Jang, E. S. (2022). Comparison of biochemical response during antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. Liver International: Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver, 42(2), 320–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.15086 

Lee, J. (n.d.). Defining Clinical Benefit in Clinical Trials: FDA Perspective [Presentation]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. https://celiac.org/main/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/great3-07.pdf 

MedlinePlus. (n.d.). ALT blood test. National Library of Medicine (U.S.). [updated August 3, 2022]. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/alt-blood-test/ 

Raman, S. (2022 October 25). Administration eyes national hepatitis C treatment plan. Roll Call: Policy. https://rollcall.com/2022/10/25/administration-eyes-national-hepatitis-c-treatment-plan/ 

Stephenson-Tsoris, S., & Casey, J. L. (2022). Hepatitis delta virus genome RNA synthesis initiates at position 1646 with a nontemplated guanosine. Journal of Virology, 96(4), e0201721. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.02017-21 

Wikipedia. (n.d). Log reduction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log_reduction

Wong, G. L. H., Gane, E., & Lok, A. S. F. (2022). How to achieve functional cure of HBV: Stopping NUCs, adding interferon or new drug development?. Journal of Hepatology, 76(6), 1249–1262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2021.11.024

Yamashiro, T., Nagayama, K., Enomoto, N., Watanabe, H., Miyagi, T., Nakasone, H., Sakugawa, H., & Watanabe, M. (2004). Quantitation of the level of hepatitis Delta virus RNA in serum, by real-time polymerase chain reaction—and its possible correlation with the clinical stage of liver disease. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 189(7), 1151–1157. https://doi.org/10.1086/382133

Zhang, Z., & Urban, S. (2021). New insights into HDV persistence: The role of interferon response and implications for upcoming novel therapies. Journal of Hepatology, 74(3), P686-699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2020.11.032

Clinical Trials, HDV, Hepatitis D Drug Development, Hepatitis Delta (HDV), News, Research

Results from Hepatitis Delta Clinical Trials Announced at International Liver Congress 2022

London, UK was the host city for this year’s annual International Liver Congress (ILC), the yearly meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), which took place from June 22nd-26th. This meeting provides an opportunity for those working to address liver diseases around the world to gather in one location and exchange ideas, present research, and work to advance diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and elimination of these serious conditions. This year’s meeting saw significant attention given to hepatitis delta, as new treatments continue to move through the pipeline and more widespread approval for prescription of current treatments is sought. Below is a quick snapshot of some of the presentations!

The US-based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. demonstrated with results from a Phase 3 clinical trial that treatment with Hepcludex (bulevirtide), the first medication ever approved for hepatitis delta (HDV), has been shown to achieve significant response in chronic HDV. After 48 weeks, 48% of study participants who received different doses of treatment with Hepcludex achieved virological response (meaning a decline in hepatitis delta viral load, ALT normalization, and a change in liver stiffness), compared to only 2% of those who had not received any treatment. When compared to results from clinical trials after 24 weeks, response rates to HDV only improved, showing the drug to be even more effective over time. Throughout the clinical trials, there have been no adverse events reported that are attributable to this treatment.

Hepcludex has also been found to have a positive impact on the quality of life of individuals living with hepatitis delta, and their overall ability to manage the condition. There were improvements found in health distress, performance of daily activities related to hepatitis, emotional impact of hepatitis, and ability to work. This data reinforces the efficacy and safety of Hepcludex and hopefully strengthens the case for approving the drug in more parts of the world.

“As the most severe form of viral hepatitis, HDV presents a significant disease burden with high healthcare-related costs and until recently, no approved treatment options,” said Heiner Wedemeyer, MD, Director, Clinic for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology at Hannover Medical School, and principal investigator of the study. “These results presented at ILC 2022 not only highlight the important clinical role that bulevirtide has to play as a safe and effective treatment option for chronic HDV, but critically also demonstrate that with prolonged treatment, we can achieve higher response rates so we can better manage this rare, life-threatening disease in more people.”

Presently, Hepcludex has been conditionally approved by the European Commission for prescription in France, Germany, and Austria. It has not yet been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or in other countries. A Biologics License Application was submitted by Gilead to the FDA in late 2021 for injection of 2mg of Hepcludex to treat adults with HDV and compensated liver disease. Hepcludex had previously been granted Breakthrough Therapy and Orphan Drug designations by the FDA and PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) scheme eligibility by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

The second company to present their research findings at the ILC was US-based Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. The two primary hepatitis delta drugs that they have in the pipeline are called lonafarnib and peginterferon lambda. One abstract presentation indicated that peginterferon lambda (lambda) had better antiviral activity and tolerability than peginterferon alfa (the previous version of this drug that has been used as the only somewhat effective, but off-label treatment for hepatitis delta since the early 1980s). Lambda has been shown to block production of new hepatitis delta virus very effectively. Additionally, lambda in combination with lonafarnib was found to lower levels of HDV RNA and decrease its production and release, more effectively than lambda by itself. Patterns in HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen, and ALT were also observed as part of this study. In its Phase 3 D-LIVR study, which is assessing the safety and efficacy of lonafarnib in combination with ritonavir, with and without peginterferon alfa, Eiger has assembled the largest cohort of global participants in an HDV study, and therefore the largest body of data. Results from this study are anticipated by the end of 2022.

The final piece of big hepatitis delta news to come out of the conference was the announcement from Vir Biotechnology Inc. that they are beginning a Phase 2 clinical trial for VIR-2218 in combination with VIR-3434 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis delta. Initial data from this study is anticipated in 2023.

Hepatitis delta is now receiving more attention than ever before and there is only more hope as new treatments are created, investigated, approved, and made available. For a complete overview of hepatitis delta, including basic information, resources, clinical trial opportunities, and a complete list of drugs that are in the pipeline, visit www.hepdconnect.org.

References

https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2022/6/treatment-with-hepcludex-bulevirtide-meets-primary-endpoint-and-achieves-significant-response-in-chronic-hepatitis-delta-virus-at-48-weeks

https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Vir+Biotechnology+Inc.+%28VIR%29+Announces+New+Clinical+Data+From+its+Broad+Hepatitis+B+Program/20256465.html

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eiger-biopharmaceuticals-announces-results-from-multiple-presentations-at-the-european-association-for-the-study-of-the-liver-easl-international-liver-congress-2022-301576119.html

Clinical Trials, HDV, Hepatitis D Avocacy, Hepatitis D Drug Development, Hepatitis Delta (HDV), News

2022 – The Year of Hepatitis Delta

2022 is shaping up to be a big year for hepatitis delta, the rare but serious virus that can co-infect people who are already living with hepatitis B. As a quick refresher, hepatitis delta is a virus that depends upon the hepatitis B virus in order to survive and replicate – so only those who are already living with hepatitis B can become infected with hepatitis delta. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is believed to infect between 5 and 10% of people living with hepatitis B virus (HBV). HDV can occur through either a superinfection or a coinfection. A superinfection occurs when someone who is already living with HBV contracts HDV, in which case there is a very high chance that the individual will develop chronic (lifelong) infections of both HBV and HDV. A coinfection occurs when both HBV and HDV are contracted at the same time – when this happens in adults, both infections tend to clear within six months and there is only a 5% chance that chronic HBV and HDV will occur. Chronic HDV is particularly dangerous because it advances progression to serious liver damage and liver failure much more quickly than HBV alone – 70% of people diagnosed with HDV and HBV will experience serious liver damage within 10 years without intervention, compared to 15-30% of people diagnosed with HBV alone.

So, What’s Happening in the World of Hepatitis Delta?

The past 18 months have been very important for hepatitis delta research and drug development. In July of 2020, the European Medicines Agency approved Hepcludex, the first-ever drug approved for treatment of hepatitis delta, for prescription in France, Austria, and Germany. Hepcludex works by stopping HDV from entering and infecting liver cells (and is known as an entry inhibitor). In 2021, MYR Pharma, the German company that originally developed Hepcludex, was bought by Gilead Sciences, Inc., which is based in the United States, and which has since filed a Biologics Licensing Agreement for approval of Hepcludex by the US Food and Drug Administration, which is expected later this year. At this time, there is not a timeline for when Hepcludex approval will be expanded to more countries and parts of the world. Prior to Hepcludex, the only drug available for hepatitis delta management, which was never officially approved, was called pegylated interferon alpha. This drug, still in use today, is only effective in controlling HDV in about 25% of people living with the virus and has challenging side effects that can negatively impact quality of life.

In addition to Hepcludex, two other promising drugs are in clinical trials, both developed by Eiger BioPharma in the United States. The first of these is called Lonafarnib, which is being evaluated for how well it works to target the protein assembly process, which keeps new viruses from being created (it is known as a prenylation inhibitor). Lonafarnib, in combination with another drug called Ritonavir, is currently in Phase III clinical trials (the phase in which the safety and effectiveness of a drug is compared to that of currently available treatments). These trials are fully enrolled, and data is expected by the end of 2022. Additionally, Eiger is currently enrolling phase III clinical trials for Pegylated Interferon Lambda, which works by stimulating the body’s own immune system to fight the virus. For a full list of drugs under investigation for hepatitis delta, including one from Janssen Research and Development and one from Antios Therapeutics, visit our Drug Watch page.

Are There Other Clinical Trials Happening for Hepatitis Delta?

 Yes! There are clinical trials happening worldwide to test many of the drugs listed above and more. You can check out our clinical trials page here. This page includes a detailed description of each clinical trial, along with information about where it is being conducted and how to contact the principal investigator (or person leading the clinical trial). This page also includes a helpful graphic describing the clinical trial process and what it takes for a drug to move from an idea into the real world. It is important to note that not all of the trials listed here are for the purpose of testing a medication – some are observational studies to monitor what are called disease biomarkers, which are physical measures used to monitor the progress of a disease and could include tests of blood or liver function, for example. Clinical trials are currently happening in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam.

When Will HDV Drugs and Clinical Trials Be More Accessible in More Parts of the World?

 This is unfortunately a difficult question to answer. Even though up to 10% of people who are living with hepatitis B are also living with hepatitis delta, there are not good systems in place to make sure that everyone who is living with HBV or who is at increased risk for HDV is tested and diagnosed, so there are not very accurate numbers about how many people in the world are living with HDV. Indeed, of the nearly 300 million people around the world who are living with hepatitis B alone, only 10% are aware of their diagnosis, so this number is undoubtedly far lower than even 10% for hepatitis delta. Without accurate information about how many people are living with the virus, it is difficult for drug and clinical trial developers to invest resources into studying or pursuing drug development or clinical trials for HDV.

Another problem is the many resources of time, money, and labor that are necessary for developing drugs, and preparing and running clinical trials. The development process for a single drug can take anywhere from 5-15 years and a much larger number of drugs fail to complete this process than succeed. Additionally, there needs to be some degree of existing infrastructure in a particular country in order to both support a clinical trial and ultimately to get a drug approved. Unfortunately, this kind of infrastructure is generally already established and easier to navigate in wealthier countries, so these are the countries in which clinical trials are generally held and in which drug approvals tend to happen first. Public health and clinical infrastructure is slowly developing and becoming more prioritized in different parts of the world and hopefully this trend will continue, but for the time being, the locations of clinical trials and approvals for important treatments point to the much larger issues of lack of access to health and healthcare in much of the world, that in turn stem from deep-seated poverty and inequity. Again, as health equity continues to be a focus of the public eye, these trends will hopefully begin to change, paving the way for greater access to healthcare for hepatitis delta, hepatitis B, and countless other health conditions.

What Is Hep Delta Connect’s Role?

 This year, Hep Delta Connect will continue its work to raise the profile of hepatitis delta, both in the United States and around the world. We are committed to building awareness through partnerships with community-based organizations, healthcare providers, and governmental agencies around the world and through dissemination of educational materials and programming. We hope to foster greater engagement of those living with and affected by hepatitis delta globally, more focused advocacy efforts to bring HDV into the spotlight, and increased screening, diagnosis, and management of HDV. We keep our website and social media channels updated regularly with program news and events – make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check out our website frequently! You are always welcome to connect with us anytime at connect@hepdconnect.org. We look forward to an exciting year of work on HDV!

Baruch S. Blumberg Institute