title: The hepatitis D satellite virus of hepatitis B virus: half-opening a new era to control viral infection?
abstract: To highlight new concepts and therapeutic approaches concerning hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection.
  
  
  
  Common receptor for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HDV has been elucidated, deciphering of HDV replication is still in progress, preliminary results of phase II proof-of-concept clinical assays for entry inhibitors and cellular farnesyl transferase inhibitors are now available.
  
  
  
  Hepatitis D infection remains a severe acute and chronic liver illness with the only currently approved therapy (Peg-αIFN) achieving disappointingly low rates of sustained viral response and clinical improvement. Both sodium taurocolate cotransporting polypeptide and heparan sulphate glypican 5 are important for viral adsorption. Preliminary results of 6 months treatment with a subcutaneous HBV PreS1-derived myristoyled peptide as an entry inhibitor indicates an encouraging short-term response with low side-effects. In addition, the short-term use of oral farnesyl transferase inhibitors induces a log10 reduction of viral RNA in almost all treated patients, but is associated with gastrointestinal upset and weight loss (especially using 200 mg/day). Encouraging results are being reported using intravenous phosphorothioate nucleic acid polymers both in terms of HBV surface antigens (HBsAg) and HDV-RNA decline; interestingly, in some patients with a strong HBsAg decline, the appearance of anti-hepatitis Bs antibodies might suggest clinical end-point improvement.
authors.affiliation: aINSERM, U1052 UMR CNRS 5286, Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, Cedex bUniversité Paris 13, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine cAssistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe des Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine Saint Denis, Bobigny, France.
authors.forename: Natali
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abeywickrama-Samarakoon
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cortay
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dény
mesh_terms: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D012526:Satellite Viruses
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase