Although current therapies can be successful at suppressing hepatitis B viral load, long-term viral cure is not within reach. Subsequent strategies combining pegylated interferon alfa with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues have not resulted in any major paradigm shift. An improved understanding of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) lifec ycle and virus-induced immune dysregulation has, however, revealed many potential therapeutic targets, and there are hopes that treatment of hepatitis B could soon be revolutionized. This review summarizes the current developments in HBV therapeutics-both virus directed and host directed.
Keywords: Antiviral therapy; Hepatitis B virus; Immunomodulators; Nonnucleoside antivirals; Nucleoside analogues.