Combination therapy for hepatitis B
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo, USA
- Correspondence to:
Dr Di Bisceglie, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 3635 Vista Ave, St Louis, Mo 63110, USA;
dibiscam{at}slu.edu
- Accepted 29 August 2001
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective therapies were first introduced in the mid-1980s but frequent and sometimes severe side effects limit their use. Combination therapy represents the future of treatment for chronic hepatitis B, probably consisting of two or more nucleoside analogues although interferon may form part of some combinations. New drugs acting by different antiviral mechanisms may be particularly potent in combination.
Footnotes
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Conflict of interest:
Dr Di Bisceglie has been a consultant for SciClone Pharmaceuticals (alpha thymosin) and InterMune (gamma interferon), provided reseach support for Schering Plough (interferon, ribavirin, PEGylated interferon), Roche (PEGylated interferon, ribavirin), and Gilead Sciences (adefovir dipivoxil), and been part of the scientific advisory board for Roche, CMI (Center for Medical Innovation), Novirio (L-dT, L-dC), and MDS Nordion (Therasphere).
