Thymosin alpha-1 treatment in chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

Introduction: Stimulating a successful host immune response may be a promising helpful therapy to achieve elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Thymosin α-1 (Tα-1), as an immunomodulatory agent, can enhance T-cell response in CHB patients and has been widely studied either alone or in combination with nucleos(t)ide analogs. This editorial reviews these articles to present the efficacy of Tα-1 in CHB.

Areas covered: English and Chinese articles in MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry, Chinese periodical full-text database of science and technology, Chinese periodical full-text database and Wan-fang database by thesis search were collected and reviewed.

Expert opinion: In CHB, Tα-1monotherapy is effective in suppressing viral replication compared with untreated control or conventional interferon. Most of the combination therapy of Tα-1 plus either lamivudine or IFN-α showed better effects on HBV DNA suppression and HBeAg seroconversion. Presently, clinical studies of Tα-1 combined with entecavir on the treatment of HBV-cirrhosis are ongoing.

Keywords:

• hepatitis B
• thymosin α-1
• treatment

Declaration of interest

This paper is part of a supplemental issue, sponsored by SciClone. This work was supported by Program for National Science and Technology Major Project (2013ZX10002004) and Key Project from Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission (D121100003912003). J Jia has acted as a consultant for Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roche. H You has received grant/research support from Roche, Chia Tai-Tianqing and SciClone. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.