The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a five-year, $24 million grant to establish an international research consortium focused on finding a cure for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The consortium, led by scientists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, aims to accelerate the development of therapies that achieve a functional cure, meaning the virus is controlled long-term without lifelong treatment.
The grant, part of the NIH's Martin Delaney Collaboratories program, will support a team of researchers from the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Their work will focus on understanding why the virus persists in the liver and developing strategies to eliminate it. Chronic HBV affects an estimated 296 million people globally and is a leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis.
"This collaborative effort is critical because the hepatitis B virus is complex and requires a multifaceted approach," said Dr. Chloe Thio, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and principal investigator for the consortium. The research will integrate basic science, translational studies, and clinical trials to identify and test promising therapeutic targets.
Current treatments for hepatitis B, such as antiviral drugs, can suppress the virus but rarely eradicate it, requiring patients to take medication indefinitely. The new consortium's goal is to develop finite-duration treatments that enable sustained viral control off therapy, significantly improving patient outcomes and reducing the global burden of liver disease.
