CURRENT STATUS
Hepatitis C is cured (Harvoni/Sovaldi). Hepatitis B functional cure in trials. NASH/MASH therapies (resmetirom/Rezdiffra) entering market. AI-driven drug discovery accelerating anti-fibrotic and regenerative approaches. CAR-T for hepatocellular carcinoma advancing.
KEY BREAKTHROUGHS
Hepatitis C cure (Harvoni/Sovaldi) — first chronic viral disease cured by medicine
Resmetirom (Rezdiffra) — first FDA-approved drug for MASH/NASH liver disease
siRNA therapies (JNJ-3989, VIR-2218) reducing HBV surface antigen >1 log in Phase II
CRISPR-based HBV cccDNA disruption showing viral clearance in preclinical models
AI-COMPRESSED PIPELINE
AI TOOLS ACCELERATING CURES
KEY ORGANIZATIONS
ACTIVELY RECRUITING TRIALS
B-Sure — Finite Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B (Phase III)
ViewJanssen / Johnson & Johnson
Evaluating JNJ-73763989 (siRNA) + JNJ-56136379 (capsid inhibitor) + nucleos(t)ide analogue to achieve HBV functional cure — defined as sustained HBsAg loss off all therapy. A pivotal trial testing whether finite antiviral combinations can replace lifelong nucleoside treatment.
SEQUOIA — Resmetirom (Rezdiffra) Long-Term Outcomes in MASH (Phase III)
ViewMadrigal Pharmaceuticals
Long-term extension evaluating whether resmetirom (the first FDA-approved MASH drug) reduces liver-related clinical events — decompensation, transplant, death — beyond its proven effect on fibrosis and steatohepatitis resolution. A landmark trial for MASH outcome data.
Bepirovirsen (GSK3228836) for Chronic HBV (Phase IIb)
ViewGSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
An antisense oligonucleotide targeting all HBV mRNAs and pregenomic RNA. Testing whether 24 weeks of bepirovirsen ± pegylated interferon can achieve sustained HBsAg loss — a potential functional cure — in patients already on nucleos(t)ide analogues.
TIMELINE ESTIMATE
MASH therapies: Available now (Rezdiffra). HBV functional cure: 3–5 years. Liver fibrosis reversal: 4–7 years. Full liver regeneration: 8–12 years.