Chronic Hepatitis News

Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection died an average of 14 years younger and had higher incidences of death from all causes compared with the general U.S. population, according to study results recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Patients without hepatitis C who underwent heart transplantation with an HCV-positive organ were likely to develop HCV viremia posttransplant, but had high rates of sustained virologic response following direct-acting antiviral therapy, according to published results of a recent prospective study.

The American Legion, in partnership with AbbVie, announced the launch of its “Take on Hep C” nationwide initiative designed to provide free hepatitis C antibody testing to veterans and their communities, according to a press release.

Eiger BioPharmaceuticals received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent claim on ritonavir-boosted lonafarnib for the treatment of hepatitis D, according to a press release.

SomaGenics received a 3-year, $2.9 million award from the National Institutes of Health’s Small Business Innovation Research program to support development of the company’s RNA interference-based approach for hepatitis D, according to a press release.

“Test. Treat. Hepatitis.” is this year’s World Hepatitis Day theme. The direct-acting antiviral era has seen a significant increase in the number of patients with hepatitis C clearing their infection. Along with this, public awareness of the disease and its highly effective cure has increased.

Growing evidence supports the overall benefits and cost-effective outcomes of testing for and treating hepatitis C in the prison “microenvironment,” according to a review of recent studies.

SeraCare Life Sciences announced the launch of the company’s proprietary AccuSpan HCV RNA Linearity Panel designed to monitor HCV RNA recovery at defined intervals, according to a press release.

Results of a recent study provided continued confirmation that increased rates of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients treated with direct-acting antivirals compared with interferon correlated with patient characteristics such as age and liver function rather than treatment.

The international market price of generic tenofovir, prequalified by WHO for hepatitis B virus infection, declined more than 85% from 2004 to 2016, according to recent MMWR data. Still, only one in six patients diagnosed with HBV infection worldwide received treatment in 2016.