Phase IIa, randomised, double-blind study of GSK3389404 in patients with chronic hepatitis B on stable nucleos(t)ide therapy.

Background & Aims: Bepirovirsen, an antisense oligonucleotide targeting pregenomic and mRNA transcripts of HBV, has been conjugated to N-acetyl galactosamine (GSK3389404) to enhance hepatocyte delivery. This dose-finding study was the first to assess GSK3389404 for chronic HBV infection.

Methods: This phase IIa, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-part study was conducted in 22 centres in Asia (NCT03020745).

Neutron imaging with an inertial electrostatic confinement fusion neutron source.

A compact inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) fusion neutron source was developed. Imaging tests using the cylindrical IEC neutron source were conducted with the indirect imaging plate (IP) method using dysprosium foil and an imaging plate. An array of powder contained in a stainless-steel blade and Cd pins was successfully imaged.

Switching from entecavir to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients: a phase 4, prospective study.

Background: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is widely used and recommended as first-line treatment for patients infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, current data are limited regarding the efficacy and safety of switching to TDF for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients who are virologically suppressed with another nucleos(t)ide analogue. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) reduction potential of switching from entecavir (ETV) to TDF at week 48 in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with undetectable serum HBV-DNA.

Aging impairs fibrosis-4 index after sustained virologic response by direct-acting antivirals in chronic hepatitis C infection.

Introduction And Objectives: Sustained virologic response (SVR) is achieved in most cases of C-type liver disease after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. Although liver fibrosis improves, the degree of improvement is different. This study aimed to analyze the factors involved in improving liver fibrosis using the fibrosis 4 (FIB-4) index.

PNPLA3 and HLA-DQB1 polymorphisms are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatitis C virus eradication.

Background: Even though both interferon (IFN)-based and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), post-sustained virological response (SVR) patients remain at elevated risk of HCC.

Methods: A total of 4620 patients who achieved SVR were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. After excluding patients who had a history of HCC or developed HCC within 1 year and whose follow-up period was less than 1 year and who were positive for HBsAg, we investigated the association between clinical characteristics and HCC development after SVR in the remaining 3771 patients.