Emerging Biomarkers for HBV Cure: HBsAg and Beyond

AbstractPurpose of ReviewOur purpose was to examine current and emerging biomarkers that are being utilized or under study with current therapies and examine the preliminary data with emerging therapies that will likely be combined moving forward to achieve higher rates of functional cure.Recent FindingsQuantitative HBsAg is the most important biomarker to assess response to current and novel therapies that inhibit viral replication and restore the immune response to those with HBV infection with loss of HBsAg reflecting functional cure. Hepatitis B core-related antigen and serum HBV RNA reflect transcription from cccDNA and declines can be used to predict relapse after discontinuation of hepatitis B therapy.SummaryQuantitative HBsAg will remain the primary biomarker to assess functional cure. There is need for an assay that measures hepatitis B-specific immune-responses to document restoration of adaptive immunity as we develop novel immunomodulatory therapies to be combined with inhibitors of the hepatitis B viral replication.
Source: Current Hepatitis Reports - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research