A new wave of epigenetic therapies is showing promise in the fight against chronic hepatitis B, a liver infection affecting over 250 million people globally. Traditional treatments often fail to completely eliminate the virus, and gene-editing approaches can increase cancer risks. Researchers are now focusing on epigenetic editing, which alters DNA markers to control gene activity. Scientists at nChroma Bio in Boston and institutes in Milan have successfully used this method to suppress the hepatitis B virus in human liver cells and mice, with minimal side effects in monkeys. Encouraged by these results, nChroma Bio has begun clinical trials in Hong Kong and New Zealand. This innovative approach targets hidden viral DNA within liver cells, which can otherwise lead to severe disease rebound and cancer. The trial marks a significant step forward in addressing the global hepatitis B pandemic.
QUESTION: How might the success of epigenetic therapies for hepatitis B influence future treatments for other chronic viral infections?
‘Epigenetic’ editing is here: gene-tagging technique banishes hepatitis B virus
