Stopping Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis B
Official title: Clinical & Immunological Study of Treatment Withdrawal in E-Ag Negative Hepatitis B
Funded at California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute · NIH-11132656 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether carefully stopping long-term antiviral medicine can help people with chronic hepatitis B achieve a lasting cure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2016 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $723,268 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK103735-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11132656 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with e-antigen negative chronic hepatitis B who have been taking antiviral medication for at least 3.7 years.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have e-antigen negative chronic hepatitis B or have not been on long-term antiviral therapy may not be suitable for this specific approach.
What this research studies
Chronic hepatitis B often requires lifelong antiviral medicine, but this rarely cures the infection. This research explores if stopping antiviral therapy after several years can encourage your body's immune system to fight off the virus more effectively. We are closely watching to see if patients can safely develop a natural immune response that clears the virus from their blood. The main goal is to see if the hepatitis B surface antigen, a key marker of the virus, becomes undetectable. This approach was inspired by a successful study in Greece, and we are now testing it in a larger group of patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a path to a lasting cure for chronic hepatitis B, freeing patients from continuous antiviral medication.
How similar studies have gone: A previous study in Greece showed promising results, suggesting that this approach could safely lead to cures in a significant number of patients.
Where this research is happening
-
California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cooper, Stewart — California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute
- Study coordinator: Cooper, Stewart
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.