Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV

Currently, millions of people infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) are committed to decades of treatment with anti-viral therapy to control viral replication. However, new tools for immunotherapy that include both viral vectors and molecular checkpoint inhibitors are now available. This has led to...

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Main Author: Barnes, E
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2015
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author Barnes, E
author_facet Barnes, E
author_sort Barnes, E
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description Currently, millions of people infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) are committed to decades of treatment with anti-viral therapy to control viral replication. However, new tools for immunotherapy that include both viral vectors and molecular checkpoint inhibitors are now available. This has led to a resurgence of interest in new strategies to develop immunotherapeutic strategies with the aim of inducing HBeAg seroconversion--an end-point that has been associated with a decrease in the rates of disease progression. Ultimately, a true cure will involve the elimination of covalently closed circular DNA which presents a greater challenge for immunotherapy. In this manuscript, I describe the development of immunotherapeutic strategies for HBV that are approaching or currently in clinical studies, and draw on observations of T cell function in natural infection supported by recent animal studies that may lead to additional rational vaccine strategies using checkpoint inhibitors. I also draw on our recent experience in developing potent vaccines for HCV prophylaxis based on simian adenoviral and MVA vectors used in prime-boost strategies in both healthy volunteers and HCV infected patients. I have shown that the induction of T cell immune responses is markedly attenuated when administered to people with persistent HCV viremia. These studies and recently published animal studies using the woodchuck model suggest that potent vaccines based on DNA or adenoviral vectored vaccination represent a rational way forward. However, combining these with drugs to suppress viral replication, alongside checkpoint inhibitors may be required to induce long-term immune control.
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spelling oxford-uuid:4d480b01-61dc-43cb-abb8-eeb948a3e4bb2022-03-26T15:54:38ZTherapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCVJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:4d480b01-61dc-43cb-abb8-eeb948a3e4bbEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordSpringer Berlin Heidelberg2015Barnes, ECurrently, millions of people infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) are committed to decades of treatment with anti-viral therapy to control viral replication. However, new tools for immunotherapy that include both viral vectors and molecular checkpoint inhibitors are now available. This has led to a resurgence of interest in new strategies to develop immunotherapeutic strategies with the aim of inducing HBeAg seroconversion--an end-point that has been associated with a decrease in the rates of disease progression. Ultimately, a true cure will involve the elimination of covalently closed circular DNA which presents a greater challenge for immunotherapy. In this manuscript, I describe the development of immunotherapeutic strategies for HBV that are approaching or currently in clinical studies, and draw on observations of T cell function in natural infection supported by recent animal studies that may lead to additional rational vaccine strategies using checkpoint inhibitors. I also draw on our recent experience in developing potent vaccines for HCV prophylaxis based on simian adenoviral and MVA vectors used in prime-boost strategies in both healthy volunteers and HCV infected patients. I have shown that the induction of T cell immune responses is markedly attenuated when administered to people with persistent HCV viremia. These studies and recently published animal studies using the woodchuck model suggest that potent vaccines based on DNA or adenoviral vectored vaccination represent a rational way forward. However, combining these with drugs to suppress viral replication, alongside checkpoint inhibitors may be required to induce long-term immune control.
spellingShingle Barnes, E
Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV
title Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV
title_full Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV
title_fullStr Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV
title_full_unstemmed Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV
title_short Therapeutic vaccines in HBV: lessons from HCV
title_sort therapeutic vaccines in hbv lessons from hcv
work_keys_str_mv AT barnese therapeuticvaccinesinhbvlessonsfromhcv