http://replicor.com/replicor-inrs-institut-armand-frappier-collaborate-identify-mechanisms-subviral-particle-assembly/
That makes me very excited Bravesoul. Thank you for posting it.
A few things I noticed:
• This was tested on people with a viral load of at least "HBV DNA > 10000 copies / ml at screening"
(https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02565719)
• This was tested on people who had fibrosis, but not cirrhosis (from the same page)
• Just taking a cursory glance at the pdf, it seems that the people with high hbsag developed much higher anti-HBs at FW4 (you can worry less about your mildly high hbsag now ;)
• It seems to need months upon months of interferon treatment and to be pre-treated with antivirals etc and then it takes quite awhile to get a response after starting with REP 2139. Not that I wouldn't jump at this at a heartbeat if I could get it, but due to the fact that some of these drugs have to be given intravenously etc it could be awhile before treatment starts becoming available. I imagine they'll do everything they can to get it into a pill.
Aside from that, due to the fact that they tested this on people with advanced disease (high hbv dna, with fibrosis, etc) it will be extremely interesting to see what the results look like of typical hbv carriers like most of us. Obviously I'm hoping it'll be faster for us.
Thanks for posting yet another encouraging news from Replicor in the race towards the development of a hbv cure. From my little knowledge, the presence of hbsag is the biggest hindrance for chronic hepB patients that prevents proper functioning of their immune system. Let's say these patients achieve sustained clearance of hbsag as indicated in these trials; I'm curious what would happen if they are given a hbv vaccination. Would their immune system be able to mount a response, so that they develop anti-hbs?
The results look really good and fascinating thus far. But the follow up data are available only for 4 patients at the 24 week mark after end of therapy. Not over a year as you write. The long term stability of the hbsag seroconversion is indeed the key question now, but one or even two years have to pass before the final stability can be certain.