[Recent Advances in Hepatitis B Virus Antivirals].

Abstract

The ultimate goal of chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)therapy is full eradication of the virus from the liver. However, this is rarely achieved with the clinically available first-line agents (entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) due to the inability to eliminate covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA), which persists in the nucleus of infected hepatocyte cells,and failure of the host to induce an adequate specific immune response to control the infection. Currently, the clinical treatment for chronic HBV infection mainly includes nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs), non-NAs and immune modulatory agents; however, each agent has individual advantages and drawbacks. It is, therefore, extremely urgent to identify novel targets involved in viral replication and develop novel anti-HBV drugs. In light of the breakthroughs in cccDNA research and host immune treatments, this review aims to summarize the state of the recent HBV drug research and development to highlight future therapeutic strategies to target the virus and host immune response.