Pegylated interferon-α (PegIFNα) is a treatment option for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but it often has undesirable side effects and not all patients respond to treatment. Tripartite motif-containing protein 26 (TRIM26) has been reported to have an impact on hepatitis C virus replication; researchers aimed to investigate the role of TRIM26 in CHB as well as its potential impact on response to PegIFNα in two cohorts of patients with CHB (N=945) treated for 48 weeks with a follow-up period of 24 weeks.

TOTUM-448 is a unique combination of plant extracts designed to reduce hepatic steatosis, a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes.

Researchers from Assembly Biosciences Inc. presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of novel small-molecule hepatitis B (HBV) and D virus (HDV) entry inhibitors.

Modern molecular techniques have progressed to the point where sequencing can seem almost quaint. At the Basic Science Symposium of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases 2022 meeting (AASLD 2022), new techniques were on full display, with sessions devoted to epigenetics, microbiome analysis and spatial transcriptomics. But the first session was still on genetic variants in all their forms – rare variants, common variants and nongermline mutations.

High hopes rest on manipulating the gut microbiome in order to treat a multitude of disorders. Clinical validation for the idea has come from the success of fecal microbiome transplants to treat chronic Clostridium difficile infections. Such transplants are in clinical trials to treat other gastrointestinal disorders, and more targeted methods to manipulate the microbiome are being developed as well, not just for infections, but in a multitude of other indications. Targeting the gut microbiome may turn into a way to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, and even psychiatric conditions.