Blumberg Prize recipient announced! |
German scientist, inventor of world’s first treatment for hepatitis D, to receive the Blumberg Prize
The Hepatitis B Foundation has chosen Stephan Urban, PhD, distinguished professor and globally recognized virologist, has been chosen to receive its 2023 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize.
Dr. Urban developed bulevirtide (brand name Hepcludex), the first drug approved to treat hepatitis D, which is a serious coinfection that only exists in combination with hepatitis B. Developed by Dr. Urban and his team at Heidelberg University Hospital, bulevirtide blocks the entry of the hep B and D viruses into the liver cell. Dr. Urban will receive his prize at a ceremony during the 2023 Hepatitis B Foundation gala.
|
|
Top honor for one of our Scientific and Medical Advisors |
Anna Suk-Fong Lok, MD, a long-time member of our Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. It's the top honorary society in the U.S. for researchers in health and medicine.
Dr. Lok was recognized for her outstanding clinical research in hepatitis B and hepatitis C, noting that she conducted the first systematic study on hepatitis B reactivation among patients receiving chemotherapy, and her key role in interferon and antiviral therapy trials, which helped lead to the approval of drugs currently used to treat hepatitis B.
She is the Dame Sheila Sherlock Distinguished University Professor of Hepatology and Internal Medicine, Alice Lohrman Andrews Research Professor of Hepatology, professor of internal medicine, director of the hepatology program and assistant dean for clinical research at the University of Michigan Medical School.
|
|
Health care providers: You can help with a study on
hepatitis delta screening and care
|
We recently partnered with the University of Miami to assist in a study of hepatitis delta screening and linkage to care in the U.S. As part of this study, we are conducting a survey to learn more about barriers to screening for hepatitis delta.
This online survey will only take about 15 minutes. You will receive a $25 gift card for completing this survey.
Please click here, if you are a health care provider and want to learn more or want to participate in this study.
|
|
Giving Tuesday: You can make a direct impact
on a underserved community
|
Your donation of as little as $5 will reach local communities and equip them with tools they need to become hepatitis B health educators.
In areas where funding for hepatitis B is almost non-existent, your donation will be the spark that lights the way and saves lives.
$5: Be the spark
$10: Provide screening and linkage to care for two people
$25: Educate and empower three health educators
|
|
New "B Heppy" podcast:
Insight on hepatitis B curative drug development with Dr. Sofia
|
On this episode B Heppy we sit down with Dr. Michael Sofia, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Arbutus Biopharma, to talk about his company's work on hepatitis B curative therapies. Listen and learn more about the pre-clinical process.
You can find the podcast episodes here or anywhere you get your podcasts.
AND, if you'd like to suggest a topic for B Heppy, please send an email to info@hepb.org.
|
|
New whitepaper from Dr. Gish:
Diagnosing and screening for hepatitis D viral infection
|
There's a valuable new paper about hepatitis delta from Robert G. Gish, MD, medical director of the Hepatitis B Foundation.
Hepatitis delta virus infection causes the most virulent form of viral hepatitis and occurs in some patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus, Dr. Gish writes. Antiviral therapies used for hep B and C virus are not effective against hepatis D, and interferon is partially effective with 1-20% maintained viral response viral clearance, further exacerbating poor outcomes in hep D patients.
Despite increased morbidity and mortality, screening for hep D remains low across the globe. Recent epidemiological studies reveal that hep D prevalence is increasing in some regions, creating urgency to improve awareness and increase screening. New therapies show promise in treating hep D and further reinforce the need for increased hep D screening in individuals with chronic hepatitis B infection.
You can read the paper here.
|
|
Donate hep B positive blood to advance research |
|
The Hepatitis B Foundation has partnered with Plasma Services Group to help educate people living with hepatitis B about the growing need for blood donors who have hep B. Donating blood to Plasma Services Group allows for your blood plasma to be used in research and to manufacture diagnostic tests for hep B.
Donors will be compensated for their donation and the process is easy because they come to you. Fill out the form to participate here. Learn more about the program on our blog here.
|
|
#justB Patient: DHE's story |
After a year of testing and waiting, DHE was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B. He was shamed by his doctor into believing he was to blame and became too embarrassed to talk about his status. Fortunately, DHE's therapist introduced them to a local hepatitis advocacy group that provided resources and a safe and supportive space to talk about hepatitis. DHE hopes sharing his story can help stop the spread of hepatitis B in his community.
|
|
ICYMI: Watch two of our latest webinars! |
The Hepatitis B Foundation recently teamed up with the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable to host a two-part webinar series intended for patients, advocates, and other stakeholders who are interested in learning more about the clinical trial process for hepatitis B and delta, and ultimately attending medical conferences and other advocacy meetings.
The first part Demystifying Drug Development: From Molecule to Medicine provides an overview of the clinical trial process and, current HBV and HDV therapies, and an introduction to interpreting clinical trial data. Part Two Drug Trials and Tribulations: Reflections on Access and Equity discusses the hepatitis B and hep D clinical trial experience as it relates to equity and access, including personal and clinician perspectives.
|
|
Liver cancer screening Q&A with Dr. Amit Singal |
Did you know that chronic infection with hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer?
For this month’s blog we talk to an expert in liver cancer, Dr. Amit Singal. Dr. Singal is a medical researcher and professor at the UT Southwestern Medical Center with extensive experience in digestive and liver diseases. Join us as we interview Dr. Singal about the importance of liver cancer screening as a preventive tool to improve health for people who may be at risk for hepatitis B or liver cancer.
|
|
Success: All Run4TeamHepB runners finished! |
All four members of our Run4TeamHepB team completed the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 6!
Congratulations and a huge "Thank you" to each and everyone one of you!
You can still contribute to their fundraising campaigns. Please click their names above.
|
|
Watch the International HBV Meeting with post-event access |
Nearly 600 scientists, clinicians and others from 31 countries attended the 2022 International HBV Meeting last month. You can access all of the groundbreaking content for $199. Learn more here.
We also have videos from the event that you can watch for free:
|
|
Emerging Scholars Scientific and Medical Advisory Board
journal article pick of the month
|
|
Smc5/6 silences episomal transcription by a three-step function.
Abdul F, Diman A, Baechler B, Ramakrishnan D, Kornyeyev D,
Beran RK, Fletcher SP, Strubin M.
2022 Sep;29(9):922-931. doi: 10.1038/s41594-022-00829-0
|
|
For November, our presenting emerging scholar is
The chromosomal maintenance complex SMC5/6 is a restriction factor against hepatitis B because it blocks transcription from its episomal viral genome. For an active infection to be established, hep B relies on its regulatory protein HBx to specifically degrade this complex and relieve its transcriptional suppression. This publication describes the mechanism by which SMC5/6 silences viral transcription from the hepatitis B genome -- a mechanism that might hold true for the restriction of other DNA virus such as HIV and HPV. Elucidating this process will not only generate basic knowledge about the interaction of viruses with their hosts but might also assist with the design of antiviral drugs targeting HBx.
Note: You can find additional recommendations for relevant new journal articles here.
|
|
Nov. 17 - Regional Biotechnology Conference
March 10 - Hepatitis B Foundation Gala
|
|
Learn more about our research and education programs at www.hepb.org
|
|
The Hepatitis B Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide. Our commitment includes funding focused research, promoting disease awareness, supporting immunization and treatment initiatives, and serving as the primary source of information for patients and their families, the medical and scientific community, and the general public. |
|
|
|
Hepatitis B Foundation I 3805 Old Easton Road Doylestown, PA 18902 I
215-489-4900 I info@hepb.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
