Developing a Functional Cure for Hepatitis B

SLU ID 18-027 | Tropolone Inhibitors of Hepatitis B Virus Replication

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects an estimated 257 million people worldwide. It is an infection of the liver that can cause cirrhosis, liver failure, and cancer. If left untreated, it can lead to death. Current treatments for HBV infections primarily consist of a variety of nucleotide analog drugs that control viremia and slow the disease progression. However, they do not cure the disease and must be taken for life, creating both an inconvenience and cost burden for patients.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have developed compounds that may lead to a new class of drugs to treat HBV infections. The researchers envision that drugs developed using these compounds will be used in combination with the nucleotide analogs with the goal of limiting intrahepatic viral persistence, eventually leading to a functional cure for Hepatitis B infections.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Increasing the likelihood of developing a functional cure for Hepatitis B infections

• Minimizing the side effects of Hepatitis B treatments

• Minimizing the inconvenience of Hepatitis B treatments for patients

• Minimizing the cost burden of Hepatitis B treatments for patients

• Minimizing the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver

• Minimizing the incidence of liver failure

• Minimizing the incidence of liver cancer

Applications

Potential applications of this technology include:

• Treating and curing Hepatitis B virus infections

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking a partner to further develop and commercialize this technology.