Advances in Therapies for Hepatitis Delta Virus

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) causes the worst form of human viral hepatitis, with increased risk of liver decompensation, liver cancer, and death. HDV requires hepatitis B virus (HBV) to complete its life cycle, although the percentage of HDV-infected HBV patients varies widely between geographic locations. There are no FDA-approved curative treatments. Several therapies with orthogonal mechanisms of action are in advanced clinical development and offer for the first time the prospect of finite treatment resulting in long-term clinical benefit. Optimal regimens, potential combinations, and surrogate endpoints remain to be determined. This represents the beginning of an exciting new era for HDV patients.

This Research Topic aims to present newly emerging therapies for hepatitis delta virus (HDV), together with their respective advantages, limitations, mechanisms of action, and potential for rational combination. It will focus on understanding the most appropriate surrogate endpoints for regulatory approval and clinical practice, including how their relevance and predictive value may be therapy-specific. It will also examine how changes in surrogate endpoints translate into long-term clinical benefit, including sustained virological control, prevention of disease progression, and improved clinical outcomes. Finally, the Research Topic will address the potential for finite therapy in chronic HDV infection, including the factors that may enable treatment discontinuation while maintaining durable disease control.

This collection welcomes the following themes, but not limited to:

- Clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of single or combination regimens.
- Studies linking surrogate markers to long-term clinical benefit.
- Studies demonstrating the potential for finite therapy.
- Defining optimal clinical management in an era of multiple therapeutic options--tailored therapy or one-size fits all?
- Chronic HDV Infection: Treatment to All?
- Functional vs sterilizing cure of HBV and its role in the management of CHD.
- Cost-effectiveness of new HDV treatments
- Mechanisms and predictors of incomplete response, virological rebound, and treatment failure

We welcome original research articles presenting clinical trials of new anti-HDV agents, alone or in combination. Studies linking surrogate markers to long-term clinical benefit. Brief reports of significant new insights. Editorials on paths to finite therapy.

Dr. Jeffrey Glenn is the founder and Board Member of EIT Pharma, Inc. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Hepatitis delta virus, Novel therapies, Finite therapy, Clinical benefit, Clinical trials, Combination treatments

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.