New hepa B treatment cited

At the recent 14th biennial conference of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver, a new hepatitis B treatment option was cited.

Peginterferon alfa 2-a has been shown to treat both HbeAG-positive and HbeAG-negative chronic hepatitis B, thus removing the need for daily and potentially life-long therapy for the disease.

The studies presented during the conference showed that peginterferon alfa 2-a is superior to lamivudine, the most commonly prescribed medication for hepatitis B.

The new hepa B treatment works in a two-pronged approach: it stimulates the immune system and inhibits virus replication.

Chronic hepatitis B is a major global health problem affecting more than 350 million people. It is one of the causes of liver failure, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Between one-quarter and one-third of people with chronic hepatitis B will develop progressive liver disease, and an estimated one million will die annually, making the disease the 10th leading cause of death worldwide.