International and regional clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) have recently been updated to incorporate evolving clinical evidence. This review compares the latest major CPGs regarding natural history classification, treatment initiation, and selection of antiviral agents, specifically focusing on updates from the Korean Association for the Study of the Liver-East Asia Liver Alliance (KASL-EALA), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and the World Health Organization (WHO). While all guidelines recognize the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of CHB, managing patients in the “grey zone” or indeterminate phase remains a major challenge. The KASL–EALA 2026 guideline introduces a novel framework based primarily on hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels—independent of alanine aminotransferase criteria—eliminating the indeterminate category to better align with hepatocellular carcinoma risks and simplify treatment decision-making. In contrast, AASLD 2025, EASL 2025, and WHO 2024 retain conventional immunological phase-based classifications for natural history. For treatment indications, all four guidelines advocate broader access to antiviral therapy despite their divergent structural approaches. AASLD suggests shared decision-making, EASL emphasizes individualized risk assessment, and WHO 2024 abandons the phase-based framework for treatment decisions entirely. Understanding these key similarities and differences will help clinicians optimize patient care and inform future efforts toward global harmonization in CHB management.
The overlapping epidemics of chronic viral hepatitis and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) present a complex challenge in modern hepatology. In chronic hepatitis B, a unique "steatosis paradox" emerges: while isolated hepatic steatosis provides a suppressive microenvironment that promotes hepatitis B viral clearance, the concomitant systemic cardiometabolic burden acts dose-dependently to drive fibrogenesis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conversely, chronic hepatitis C and host metabolic dysfunctions exhibit synergistic destruction. Hepatitis C virus actively hijacks lipid metabolism and induces insulin resistance. Even after viral eradication via direct-acting antivirals, residual steatosis and glycemic abnormalities remain formidable drivers of HCC. Consequently, the traditional virocentric paradigm is no longer sufficient. Clinical management should pivot toward precision risk stratification and a multidisciplinary dual-target approach, equally prioritizing sustained viral suppression and aggressive metabolic remission. This review summarizes the divergent virus-MASLD interactions, optimal clinical strategies, current challenges and future opportunities.
Won-Mook Choi, Ji Won Han, Tae Hyung Kim, Miyoung Choi, Moon Haeng Hur, Hyo Young Lee, Han Ah Lee, Byeong Geun Song, Heechul Nam, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Chang Hun Lee, Gi-Ae Kim, Hye Won Lee, Gwang Hyeon Choi, Young Eun Chon, Yun Bin Lee, Dong Hyun Sinn, Bo Hyun Kim, In Hee Kim, on behalf of the Korean Association for the Study of the Liver (KASL)
Clin Mol Hepatol 2026;32(3):1029-1116. Published online June 12, 2026
Hepatitis B flare is a common complication of chronic hepatitis B and is defined as an increase in HBV viral load associated with abnormal alanine aminotransferases (ALT), the consensus being an ALT level ≥5 times the upper limit of normal. The immunopathogenesis is related to induction of inflammatory cells and cytokines by the rise in HBV DNA. There are multiple causes of flares, and they carry the risk of progression to hepatic decompensation and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) with associated mortality, potentially requiring liver transplantation. Initial assessment should exclude other causes of liver dysfunction and determine severity and prognosis. General prognostic models of ACLF are useful but the COSSH-ACLF II score is specific to HBV. Early initiation of nucleos(t)ide analogues is crucial, even in severe HBV flares; it can reduce mortality by 73.6%. Once jaundice and coagulopathy occur, salvage by antivirals is challenging, and liver transplantation should be considered. However, many patients may not be suitable candidates for transplant or donor livers may not be available, as is common in Asia. Recently, there has been increasing evidence of the benefits of adjunctive therapies such as corticosteroids and plasma exchange, but there are associated risks and these approaches should be considered rescue therapies in severe HBV flares or ACLF. Liver transplant is the ultimate intervention when these other strategies fail. In summary, HBV flares are clinically serious events that can lead to hepatic decompensation, ACLF, and the need for a donor liver; however, strategies for rescue should be considered before liver transplantation.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major cause of chronic liver diseases, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. In recent decades, coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and coexistence with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have emerged as significant clinical concerns among HBV-infected patients. Although global HBV vaccination programs and curative therapies for HCV have led to a marked decline in HBV/HCV coinfection, MASLD is rapidly becoming the predominant comorbidity due to the global surge in metabolic risk factors. HBV/HCV coinfection typically results in more severe liver damage, with unique challenges in antiviral treatment and risk of HBV reactivation post-HCV clearance. In contrast, HBV/MASLD overlap demonstrates complex metabolic-viral interactions that may influence viral replication, hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance, fibrosis progression, and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. This review critically compares the epidemiology, clinical outcomes, and management strategies of HBV patients with concurrent HCV or MASLD, while addressing current research gaps and proposing directions for future investigations.
Background/Aims Natural killer (NK) cell function is generally considered dampened in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection; however, the NK cell pool exhibits phenotypic and functional heterogeneity, and the antibody--mediated effect of NK cells remains less characterized. This study evaluated the dynamic changes in antibody-mediated NK cell responses and the involvement of distinct NK subsets across disease stages and during antiviral treatment.
Methods A T-cell receptor-like antibody specific for the HBV core 18–27 peptide (cTCRL-Ab) was used to determine the antibody-mediated effect of NK cells, and an array of NK cell surface markers were analyzed in cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts of patients with chronic HBV infection. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed to identify the heterogeneity of NK subsets.
Results The cTCRL-Ab enabled the detection of NK cell cytolytic activity and IFNγ production. Notably, cTCRL-Ab-mediated NK cell responses were compromised in chronically HBV-infected patients, particularly in those receiving pegylated interferon-α (Peg-IFNα), which was associated with the downregulation of CD16 expression. Correspondingly, Peg-IFNα inhibited cTCRL-Ab-mediated NK cell function by reducing CD16 expression in vitro. scRNA-seq revealed that CD16 downregulation occurred mainly within a dysfunctional CD16hi NK subset exhibiting exhaustion properties. In contrast, an activated CD16hiNK subpopulation (CX3CR1⁺KLRC2–CD16hi) with high cytotoxicity was enriched in patients who experienced favorable treatment responses. Furthermore, the intrahepatic CX3CR1+KLRC2–CD16hi subset tended to exhibit functional restoration in HBsAg-loss individuals.
Conclusions Our data contribute to the understanding of antibody-mediated responses of NK cells in chronic HBV infection, and highlight a previously unappreciated functional CX3CR1+KLRC2–CD16hiNK subset as a potential therapeutic target.
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Background/Aims Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is one of the most essential metabolites in cell metabolism but its function and concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive and controversial.
Methods A comprehensive analysis of acetyl-CoA levels and acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) expression across a range of samples, including patient specimens from both hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive and HBV negative HCC individuals, HBV-transgenic mouse HCC models, and multiple cell lines. Furthermore, to evaluate the functional significance of ACSS2 in HBV-related HCC, we implemented both genetic and pharmacological inhibition strategies targeting ACSS2. Molecular mechanism and mitophagy assessment were revealed by cleavage under target and tagmentation sequencing, RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining.
Results Our study revealed a distinct metabolic signature of HBV-related HCC, marked by elevated acetyl-CoA, which was driven by ACSS2. ACSS2 was upregulated by the carbohydrate response element-binding protein in HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, ACSS2 improved tumor cell proliferation, an effect that was dependent on its enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, ACSS2-induced acetyl-CoA accumulation activated voltage-dependent anion channels 1 transcription through increased H3K27ac occupancy, which subsequently promoted mitophagy and HBV-related HCC tumorigenesis. Notably, targeting ACSS2 by depletion or inhibition with a catalytic inhibitor significantly suppressed tumor growth.
Conclusions These findings not only illustrate the interplay between metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic modification, and tumorigenesis in the context of HBV infection, but also highlight ACSS2 as a novel metabolic vulnerability in HBV-related HCC. Therefore, targeting ACSS2 could be a novel strategy against HBV-related HCC.
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection remains a significant global public health concern. Functional cure, defined as hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance with unquantifiable HBV DNA at 24 weeks off treatment, is a desirable endpoint in the treatment of CHB, yet challenging to achieve. Given the limitations of current therapies including nucleos(t)ide analogues and pegylated interferon alpha, novel agents targeting functional cure are emerging. As hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a non-cytolytic virus, liver damage stems from the host immune response towards HBV-infected cells. The innate immune response during the initial phase of HBV infection is crucial in establishing an adequate level of immunity against the virus. However, HBV adopts various mechanisms to evade the host’s innate immunity, partly contributing to the chronicity of infection. This article provides a comprehensive review on how the HBV life cycle interacts with the host’s innate immune system. The latest evidence of novel agents targeting the innate immunity will also be covered. Retinoic acid inducible gene I agonists, toll-like receptor agonists, and interferons are therapies that target the HBV evasion strategies against host’s innate immunity. While small interfering RNAs and antisense oligonucleotides are originally designed for antigen knockdown and reinvigoration of the adaptive immune response, they have also shown additional impacts on the innate immunity. With ongoing research and innovation in combination strategies, advancement in the management of CHB is anticipated in the future.
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Through the implementation of hepatitis B vaccination and effective antiviral treatment over the past four decades, the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence of the vaccinated generation dramatically decline. The incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) also decreases. However, the elimination of HBV is still a challenge to achieve. Novel HBV biomarkers, including quantitative HBsAg, hepatitis B virus core-related antigen and HBV RNA are promising in predicting clinical phases, risks of disease progression and HBV functional cure. Current antiviral therapies, nucleoside/nucleotide and pegylated alpha-interferon, effectively decrease HCC incidence in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and minimize the recurrence of HCC in patients receiving curative therapy. Novel agents under development to achieve HBV cure include direct-acting antivirals that target various stages of the HBV lifecycle and host targeting agents that enhance HBV-specific immunity. The action plans for eliminating hepatitis B in the future are universal HBV screening, early and simplified treatment as well as precision lifelong management for CHB patients. This narrative review will summarize and discuss global strategies and initiatives aimed at eliminating HBV infection.
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Background/Aims Hepatitis B virus (HBV) mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) remains a global health concern, with over 90% of perinatal infections leading to chronic HBV. To evaluate long-term trends in MTCT rates and associated factors within Korea’s national program.
Methods Population-based cohort study using linked data from the Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP) and National Health Insurance Service in Korea. The study included HBsAg-positive mother-infant pairs with post-vaccination serologic results from 2002 to 2021.
Results Among the 154,478 mother-infant pairs, the overall MTCT rate after prophylaxis was 2.3%. Antiviral use lowered MTCT rates (0.9% vs. 2.4%) particularly in HBeAg-positivity (1.0% vs. 5.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14–0.32). Lower MTCT rates were observed for cesarean section vs. vaginal delivery (1.9% vs. 2.6%; aOR 0.78; 95% CI 0.73–0.84) and breastfeeding vs. formula feeding (1.8% vs. 2.8%; aOR 0.65; 95% CI 0.56–0.76). Annual MTCT rates decreased from 3.6% (2002–2005) to 1.3% (2018–2021). Antivirals reduced MTCT rates; initiation at 14–27 weeks (0.39%), or 28–32 weeks (0.44%) vs. ≥33 weeks (1.47%); postpartum continuation (0.55%) vs. antepartum discontinuation (1.44%); use ≥61 days (0.51%) vs. 1–60 days (1.67%). Lower MTCT risk was associated with maternal (old age, high income) and infant (female sex, preterm birth) factors.
Conclusions This comprehensive analysis of the PHBPP in Korea demonstrates that the use of antivirals, breastfeeding, and cesarean section, combined with conventional immunoprophylaxis, has significantly reduced MTCT rates. These results are crucial for global HBV elimination and can help to guide HBV MTCT prevention strategies.
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Background/Aims Given the increase in prevalence of metabolic diseases, we investigated their long-term impacts on the outcomes of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment.
Methods We analyzed data from CHB patients for whom initiated NA treatment from 30 centers. We balanced patient characteristics with and without metabolic disease (diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension) via propensity-score matching (PSM) to evaluate adverse outcomes.
Results The study included 4,500 patients. PSM yielded 909 pairs of patients with balanced characteristics. When stratified by the number of metabolic diseases, only patients with ≥2 metabolic diseases had an increased cumulative incidence of cirrhosis and overall death. However, when stratified by the presence of diabetes (regardless of the presence or number of other metabolic diseases), patients with diabetes (versus those without) had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of all outcomes: cirrhosis (P=0.009), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, P=0.023), and overall, liver-related, and non-liver-related death (P<0.001, P=0.026 and P<0.001, respectively). Having ≥2 metabolic diseases was associated with cirrhosis, overall death, and non-liver-related death but not HCC or liver-related death, while diabetes was significantly associated with a higher risk of all outcomes: cirrhosis (hazard ratio [HR]=3.75, P=0.004), HCC (HR=2.02, P=0.020), and overall, liver-related, and non-liver-related death (HR=2.53, P<0.001; HR=2.65, P=0.016; HR=2.38, P<0.001).
Conclusions Having two or more metabolic diseases was associated with a higher risk of cirrhosis, overall death, and non-liver-related death, but having diabetes as a single metabolic disease was significantly associated with all adverse outcomes including cirrhosis, HCC, and overall, liver-related, and non-liver-related death.
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Background/Aims Cirrhotic patients with liver stiffness measurement (LSM) <20 kPa and platelet count ≥150×109/L (Baveno VI criteria), otherwise spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) ≤40 kPa (Baveno VI-SSM criteria) can avoid endoscopy screening; however, no prospective data for their hepatic outcomes.
Methods Compensated cirrhosis with HBV were prospectively enrolled from April 2019 to April 2022 and followed until July 2023. All patients underwent LSM, SSM and esophagogastroduodenoscopy assessment.
Results Among 1,224 patients enrolled with median follow-up of 30 months (interquartile range, 21–42), the incidence of decompensation was greater in 560 patients with unfavored Baveno VI criteria (0.5 vs. 20.4 per 1,000 person-years, P=0.0004) than that in 664 patients with favored Baveno VI-SSM criteria. The Baveno VI-SSM model identified more patients (54.2%) as low-risk for decompensation than Baveno VII-SSM model (single cutoff) (48.4%, P=0.004) and than Baveno VI criteria (34.6%, P<0.0001) did. Patients with high-risk varices diagnosed via endoscopy following Baveno VI-SSM model assessment had greater probability of decompensation compared to those identified by the Baveno VII-SSM model (single cutoff) (42.8 vs. 21.1 per 1,000 person-years, P=0.0088). Additionally, among the 493 patients who underwent endoscopic re-assessment, 242 patients with favored Baveno VI-SSM criteria had much lower incidence of EV progression (2.6 vs. 99.5 per 1,000 person-years, P=0.0004) and lower risk of decompensation compared to 140 patients with unfavored Baveno VI-SSM model (0 vs. 34.2 per 1,000 person-years, P=0.0256).
Conclusions Baveno VI-SSM model could identify HBV-related cirrhosis patients at low risk of decompensation, which was greatly improved upon Baveno VI-SSM reassessment.
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Reply to correspondence on “Baveno VI-SSM stratifies the risk of portal hypertension-related events in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis” Mathias Jachs, Mattias Mandorfer Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2026; 32(1): e106. CrossRef
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As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.
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Hyung Joon Yim, Yeon Seok Seo, Ji Hoon Kim, Won Kim, Young Kul Jung, Jae Young Jang, Sae Hwan Lee, Yun Soo Kim, Chang Wook Kim, Hyoung Su Kim, Jae-Jun Shim, Eun-Young Cho, In Hee Kim, Byung Seok Lee, Jeong-Hoon Lee, Byung Seok Kim, Jeong Won Jang, Hyun Woong Lee, Jung Hyun Kwon, Moon Young Kim, Do Seon Song, Jung Gil Park, Yoon Seok Lee, Eileen L. Yoon, Han Ah Lee, Seong Hee Kang, Jin Mo Yang
Clin Mol Hepatol 2025;31(3):810-822. Published online January 17, 2025
Background/Aims Besifovir (BSV) showed comparable antiviral activity and superior safety profiles to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, no data are available regarding the antiviral efficacy and safety of BSV in patients with CHB who switched from long-term TDF to BSV. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of a 48-week BSV therapy in patients with CHB who switched from long-term TDF treatment.
Methods In this non-inferiority trial, 153 CHB patients treated with TDF for ≥48 weeks who had hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA <20 IU/mL were randomized to receive either BSV 150 mg or TDF 300 mg for 48 weeks.
Results The per-protocol analysis included 130 patients (BSV group, 64; TDF group, 66). The median duration of TDF use before enrollment was 4.14 years. After 48 weeks, 100.0% and 98.5% patients in the BSV and TDF groups, respectively, met the primary endpoint (HBV DNA <20 IU/mL), demonstrating the non-inferior antiviral efficacy of BSV to TDF (95% confidence interval –0.01 to 0.04; P>0.999), with a predefined margin of –0.18. The mean percentage changes in estimated glomerular filtration rates were slightly better in the BSV group (1.67±11.73%) than in the TDF group (–1.24±11.02%). The BSV group showed a significant improvement in bone turnover biomarkers compared to the TDF group; accordingly, hip and spine bone mineral density increased in the BSV group.
Conclusions In patients with CHB receiving long-term TDF, switching to BSV may improve renal and bone safety with non-inferior antiviral efficacy compared to that of maintaining TDF.
Citations
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Correspondence to editorial on “Switching to besifovir in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate: A randomized trial” Hyung Joon Yim, Seong Hee Kang, Young Kul Jung, Jin Mo Yang Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2026; 32(1): e55. CrossRef
Besifovir: a viable option for long-term disease control in chronic hepatitis B: Editorial on “Switching to besifovir in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate: A randomized trial” Wai-Kay Seto Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2026; 32(1): 374. CrossRef
Tenofovir amibufenamide in chronic hepatitis B: Lipid changes and 144-week safety with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-to-tenofovir amibufenamide switch Zhi-Hao Zeng, Jin-Qing Liu, Min Zhang, Cai-Liang Qiu, Zhen-Yu Xu World Journal of Gastroenterology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Tung-Hung Su, Sheng-Shun Yang, Mei-Hsuan Lee, Wei-Yu Kao, Shang-Chin Huang, Fen-Fang Chen, Francis SK Poon, Lung-Wen Tsai, Yi-Ting Chen, Che Lin, Weichung Wang, W Ray Kim, Jia-Horng Kao
Clin Mol Hepatol 2025;31(3):796-809. Published online January 6, 2025
Background/Aims There are no hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance recommendations for non-viral chronic liver diseases (CLD), such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). We explored the Steatosis-Associated Fibrosis Estimator (SAFE) score to predict HCC in MASLD and other CLD etiologies.
Methods Patients with various CLDs were included from medical centers in Taiwan. The SAFE score, consisting of age, body mass index, diabetes, and laboratory data, was calculated at baseline, and patients were traced for new development of HCC. The predictability of the SAFE score for HCC was analyzed using the sub-distribution hazard model with adjustments for competing risks.
Results Among 12,963 CLD patients with a median follow-up of 4 years, 258 developed HCC. The SAFE score classifies 1-, 3-, and 5-year HCC risk regardless of CLD etiologies. High (≥100) and intermediate (0–100) SAFE scores increased 11 and 2 folds HCC risks compared to low (<0) SAFE scores. Combining two lower risk tiers (SAFE<100), a high SAFE score (≥100) was associated with a 7.5-fold risk of HCC (adjusted sub-distributional hazard ratio [aSHR] 7.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.38–10.60). A high SAFE score increased the risks of HCC in subgroups of viral hepatitis, non-viral hepatitis (aSHR 11.10; 95% CI 3.97–31.30) and MASLD (aSHR 4.23; 95% CI 1.43–12.50). A hospital cohort (n=8,103) and a community MASLD cohort (n=120,166) validated the high SAFE score (≥100) for HCC risk prediction.
Conclusions The SAFE score stratifies high risks for HCC in CLD patients regardless of etiologies and helps to select at-risk candidates for HCC surveillance.
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Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) poses a major global public health challenge and is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatic steatosis is common in individuals with CHB compared to the non-CHB population and is particularly prevalent in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-endemic regions, affecting about one-third of CHB patients. The interaction between hepatic steatosis and CHB-related disease progression is complex and still under debate. Evidence demonstrates that co-existing steatosis may worsen liver fibrosis while paradoxically increasing the likelihood of achieving better HBV control. In particular, despite the association of steatotic liver disease (SLD) with lower HBV viral loads and higher rates of HBsAg seroclearance, the coexistence of CHB and SLD can potentially accelerate liver disease progression. Factors such as fat deposition, lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation in SLD may foster a pro-fibrotic and pro-carcinogenic environment, accelerating the disease progression. Additionally, loss of global DNA methylation, changes in the immune microenvironment, and genetic susceptibility further contribute to the development of CHB-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This review examines the mechanisms driving liver disease progression and the heightened risk of cirrhosis and HCC in patients with concurrent CHB and steatotic liver disease, underscoring the importance of prioritizing antiviral therapy for CHB in addition to addressing SLD.
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Functional cure, defined as sustained hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance with unquantifiable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA at 24 weeks off treatment, is a favorable treatment endpoint in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Nonetheless, functional cure is rarely attained with the current treatment modalities of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) and pegylated interferon alpha. Multiple novel virus-targeting agents and immunomodulators are under development for HBV with functional cure as the treatment goal. Among virus-targeting agents, antisense oligonucleotides and small-interfering RNAs are the most advanced in the developmental pipeline, and can induce potent and sustainable HBsAg suppression. The other virus-targeting agents have varying effects on HBsAg and HBV DNA, depending on the drug mechanism. In contrast, immunomodulators have modest effects on HBsAg and have limited roles in monotherapy. Multiple combination regimens incorporating RNA interference agents with immunomodulators have been studied through many ongoing clinical trials. These combination strategies demonstrate synergistic effects in inducing functional cure, and will likely be the future direction of development. Despite the promising results, research is warranted to optimize treatment protocols and to establish criteria for NUC withdrawal after novel therapies. Functional cure is now an attainable target in CHB, and the emerging novel therapeutics will revolutionize CHB management.
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CD16+ γδ T cells mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and associate with viral control in chronic hepatitis B virus infection Paulina E Schröter, Katja Steppich, Laura Fernández Carrera, Zheng Song, Sebastian Klein, Roni Souleiman, Melanie Urbanek-Quaing, Ayesha D Lietzau, Ansgar Schnieders, Erich Freyer, Birgit Bremer, Ximena León-Lara, Vicente Almeida, Rodrigo Gutierrez Jaureg Gut.2026; : gutjnl-2025-337640. CrossRef
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Combining therapeutic agents to target the immune systems of hepatitis B patients: what do we need to consider? Shang-Chin Huang, Jia-Horng Kao Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.2025; 19(4): 371. CrossRef
Efficacy of Antiviral Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients With Normal Alanine Aminotransferase: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis Yuting Diao, Yueying Zeng, Zhihao Huang, Chunfang You, Kevork M. Peltekian Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
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Structural optimization of phthalazine derivatives for anti-HBV activities to improve oral bioavailability Yurong Yang, Fuling Xiao, Jianping Zuo, Li Yang, Youhong Hu, Wuhong Chen Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry.2025; 128: 118259. CrossRef
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Advancing HIV cure: insights from developing chronic hepatitis b therapies for functional cure Ana Verma, Raymond T. Chung Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS.2025; 20(5): 449. CrossRef
Challenges and advances in clinical cure of chronic hepatitis B Xu-Ling Liu, Yu-Lang Jiang, Ming-Yu Sun World Chinese Journal of Digestology.2025; 33(9): 693. CrossRef
Small molecule HBV RNA destabilizing drugs: Drugs of the future or compounds from the past? Timothy M. Block, Dimitar Gotchev, Yanming Du Antiviral Research.2025; 244: 106288. CrossRef
Global strategies and actions to eliminate hepatitis B virus infection Chih-Lin Lin, Jia-Horng Kao Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2025; 31(4): 1197. CrossRef
Morphometric and structural dynamic parameters of hepatitis viruses: implications for therapeutic and vaccine failure Saganuwan Alhaji Saganuwan Discover Viruses.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Functional cure of chronic hepatitis B virus infection: current therapeutic regimens Yi-Wei Shi, Rui Pu, Yi-Bo Ding, Wen-Bin Liu, Zi-Shuai Li, Jia-Yi Zhao, Yi-Fan Chen, Guang-Wen Cao Hepatoma Research.2025;[Epub] CrossRef