How antibodies help control hepatitis B in people with and without HIV
Official title: The role of neutralizing antibodies in natural and treatment-induced control of hepatitis B with and without HIV-1 co-infection
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11235131 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether antibody responses help people with hepatitis B — including those who also have HIV — control or clear the infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | January 24, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $732,133 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI172546-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235131 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a documented history of acute hepatitis B infection, including people living with HIV and those similar to participants in the MACS-WIHS cohort, would best match this study.
✕Less likely to help
People without prior acute HBV infection, children, or anyone not part of the cohort are unlikely to get direct benefits from this specific project.
What this research studies
If you took part, researchers would use blood samples from people who had acute hepatitis B in the long-term MACS-WIHS cohort, including people living with HIV, to measure neutralizing antibodies and B cell types. They will compare people who cleared HBV on their own with those who developed chronic infection, and also include people who achieved control while on HBV treatment. The team will isolate HBV surface antigen–specific B cells and produce monoclonal antibodies to study how strong and how long antibody responses last. Results will come from comparing antibody levels, B cell repertoires, and antibody genes across these groups.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict who is protected against HBV reactivation and guide better vaccines or antibody-based therapies for people with and without HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show neutralizing antibodies can protect against HBV, but detailed comparisons in people with HIV and in treatment-induced functional cure are relatively new and less well studied.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bailey, Justin Richard — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Bailey, Justin Richard
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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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Blood markers to catch early liver cancer in Hispanic people with hepatitis B
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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.