Hepatitis B and HIV Cure Consortium (BICC) to help people with HIV and hepatitis B
Official title: Hepatitis B and HIV Cure Consortium (BICC)
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11423432 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multinational effort will follow people who have both HIV and hepatitis B to find ways that could lead to a cure that stops the virus while people are off treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $136,111 |
| NIH project number | 3U19AI188551-02S4 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423432 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults living with HIV and chronic hepatitis B who can provide consent and participate in long-term follow-up and sample collection.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience direct HBV cure or may have limited immediate benefit from the research.
What this research studies
This project creates an international group of people with HIV and chronic hepatitis B to study how to achieve a functional cure for hepatitis B using new technologies. Researchers will collect clinical data and biological samples from participants across multiple countries, building a shared repository to support discovery. The work includes liver biopsies and blood draws to understand how different HBV genotypes respond and what factors support sustained HBsAg loss off therapy. By sharing resources and expertise, the study aims to identify strategies that could benefit future patients dealing with both infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to treatments that achieve HBV control or cure in people with HIV who have hepatitis B, reducing liver disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cohorts have advanced HBV cure research, but this multi-country approach with dual infection is still pioneering and may yield new insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thio, Chloe L — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Thio, Chloe L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HBV cure clues in people with and without HIV
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-
HBV cure factors in people with and without HIV
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HBV prevention in community pharmacies: a first step in a low-resource setting
This pilot project tests whether hepatitis B screening and vaccination can be integrated into everyday community pharmacy services to reach more people.
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Blood markers to catch early liver cancer in Hispanic people with hepatitis B
This project will see if a blood test can find liver cancer earlier in Hispanic people who have chronic hepatitis B.
-
Early blood markers to find hepatitis B–related liver cancer in Hispanics
This project will use immune-related blood markers to find liver cancer earlier in people with chronic hepatitis B, focusing on Hispanic adults.
-
HBV safety with long-acting HIV therapy for people with HIV
A study to understand how long-acting HIV meds affect hepatitis B in people living with HIV and how to best monitor and protect them.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.