A drug currently in clinical trials for hepatitis C may also prevent the replication of the hepatitis E virus, according to a March 22 announcement from an international research team. The group identified bemnifosbuvir as a compound that could be effective against hepatitis E viruses.
Hepatitis E causes about 70,000 deaths each year and there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the disease. The discovery of a potential therapy could offer new hope for patients at risk from this infection.
The research was conducted by teams from Ruhr University Bochum, Heidelberg University Hospital, and Peking University. They screened a library of nucleotide and nucleoside analogues to find substances that might inhibit hepatitis E virus (HEV) replication. Dr. Mara Klöhn from Ruhr University Bochum said, "These synthetically produced molecules are constructed similarly to the building blocks of our genetic material and likewise to that of viruses."
To test the compounds, researchers used a reporter virus containing a fluorescent molecule in cell cultures infected with HEV. Jungen Hu from Heidelberg University said, "With bemnifosbuvir we were able to see that the virus no longer replicated, while the treated cells remained healthy." Animal experiments conducted by Chinese researchers confirmed the substance's effectiveness against HEV and liver inflammation.
Dr. Viet Loan Dao Thi and Professor Eike Steinmann said, "If the ongoing clinical trials of bemnifosbuvir against hepatitis C are successful, the drug could soon also be available for off label use against hepatitis E." Acute infections with HEV usually resolve on their own in people with healthy immune systems but can become chronic in those who are immunocompromised or pregnant women.
The study was supported by several organizations including national research programs in China and Germany.
