Hepatitis: Summer 2025 Clinical Roundup

June

Antibody Levels Below Traditional Threshold Still Protect Against Hepatitis B in Vaccinated Children
Longitudinal data suggest durable protection despite declining anti-HBs, questioning routine booster needs.

Dual-Targeting miRNAs Identified as Potential Therapeutics Against HCV and BVDV
Bioinformatics screen flags nine human miRNAs with cross-viral binding potential for future therapeutics.

Geographic and Demographic Variations in Hepatitis C Mortality
CDC surveillance maps state and population disparities to guide targeted prevention and treatment.

CDC Reverses Layoffs, Restores Critical Hepatitis and STI Labs Amid Public Health Concerns
Restored federal lab capacity preserves surveillance, outbreak response, and viral hepatitis testing.

FDA Expands Indication for AbbVie’s Antiviral as First Treatment for People With Acute Hepatitis C
Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir becomes first oral 8-week pangenotypic therapy for acute and chronic HCV.

July

New Advances in Chronic Hepatitis B: Noninvasive Fibrosis Algorithm and Immunoadsorption Therapy
Recent studies introduce practical fibrosis risk tools and novel adjunctive strategies in CHB.

First Patient Enrolled for Combination Therapy in Phase 3 Trial for Chronic Hepatitis D
Trial evaluates switching to tobevibart plus elebsiran in patients with persistent viremia on bulevirtide.

Vegetable Oil-Based Diet Supports Liver Health in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients
Unsaturated fat–rich diets associate with reductions in ALT, AST, and TBIL in CHB.

Estimation of Over 73,000 Children Born With Hepatitis C Annually
Global modeling quantifies vertical transmission burden and supports maternal screening policies.

National Serosurvey Reveals Hepatitis B, C, and D Prevalence in Ukraine
Representative data highlight regional and demographic variation to inform vaccination and targeted care.

Biannual Hepatitis C Testing Could Reduce Infections Among People Who Inject Drugs
Modeling supports twice-yearly testing within integrated care to accelerate HCV control in PWID.

Quickening a Rapid HCV Test Reduces True and False Positives
Shorter OraQuick read time lowers false positives and downstream RNA testing but misses more viremic cases.

Universal Hepatitis C Screening in EDs Detects More Infections, but Gaps in Care Remain
Nontargeted ED testing outperforms risk-based approaches, yet linkage-to-treatment remains suboptimal.

August

Universal Hepatitis C Screening in Pregnancy: Progress Made, But Challenges Remain
Despite guideline updates, screening rates lag, leaving preventable perinatal HCV risks.

Vir Launches ECLIPSE Trial Advancing New Hepatitis D Therapy
Head-to-head phase 2b evaluates a novel combination regimen versus bulevirtide for HDV.

Meeting Patients Where They Are: Hepatitis C Barriers in Pharmacy Practice
Frontline pharmacy strategies to reduce HCV care gaps through navigation support and access programs.

Global Study Results Find Gaps in Hepatitis B Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care Cascade
Expert commentary highlights primary-care barriers and the promise of simplified community models.

Cumulative HBsAg/HBV DNA Ratio Predicts Disease Progression in Immune-Tolerant Hepatitis B
Longitudinal data identify a composite virologic marker that stratifies progression risk, particularly in adults ≥30.

September

First Patient Enrolled in Phase 3 Study for Hepatitis D Treatment
Bluejay’s brelovitug enters pivotal testing as a self-administered option versus the current standard outside the US.

Excision’s EBT-107 CRISPR Candidate Reduces HBV DNA and Suppresses New Integration in Preclinical Studies
Preclinical data suggest genome editing may curb replication and limit new host-genome integrations.

Bone Changes and Inflammation After Hepatitis C Cure: Eighteen-Month Outcomes
Post-DAA follow-up links HCV cure with improvements in inflammatory and bone-related measures.

Amidst Confusion, and Delayed Hepatitis B Vaccine Vote, CDC ACIP Votes to Restrict Measles Combination Vaccine
Meeting recap notes HBV vote delay and clarifies implications for perinatal HBV policy.

CDC Vaccine Advisors Table Hepatitis B Vaccine Vote, Keeps Current Policy in Place
ACIP defers changes to the HBV birth dose, reaffirming current practice and prenatal testing standards.