thebiostories

Can Hepatitis B Finally Be Cured? How an antisense drug moved from an experimental molecule to successful Phase 3 trials. ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ Bepirovirsen is an antisense oligonucleotide designed to target hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA. ✓ In two Phase 3 trials, functional cure was achieved in 20% and 19% of treated participants, compared with 0% in placebo groups. ✓ Bepirovirsen is now under regulatory review, although questions remain about how many patients will benefit and its safety profile . Chronic hepatitis B can be effectively controlled with antiviral drugs such as tenofovir and entecavir, which suppress HBV replication and substantially reduce the risk of liver disease. However, these treatments rarely produce a functional cure, and many patients require long-term therapy. Bepirovirsen is an antisense oligonucleotide that targets HBV RNA, with the aim of reducing both viral replication and the production of viral proteins. In 2026, two large Phas...

What Is the Most Common Virus That Causes Cancer? HPV causes more cancers worldwide than any other virus — but it is only one of several infections capable of contributing to human cancer. Cancer is usually thought of as a disease of damaged genes. But sometimes the chain of events that leads to cancer begins with something entirely different: an infection. Most familiar viral infections are not associated with cancer. The viruses that cause the common cold, influenza viruses and coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 are not established cancer-causing viruses. But a small group of viruses can, under the right circumstances and often over many years, contribute to the development of cancer. Among them, HPV is responsible for the largest number of cancer cases worldwide. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), almost 750,000 new cancer cases worldwide in 2020 were attributable to HPV infection. HPV is not alone. Hepatitis B and C viruses can cause li...