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De Pooter D, Van Gulck E, Chen A, Evans CF, Neefs JM, Horton H, Boden D. A Therapeutic Hepatitis B Virus DNA Vaccine Induces Specific Immune Responses in Mice and Non-Human Primates. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9090969. [PMID: 34579206 PMCID: PMC8471825 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9090969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of an effective prophylactic vaccine for more than 30 years, nearly 300 million people worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), leading to 1 death every 30 s mainly from viral hepatitis-related cirrhosis and liver cancer. Chronic HBV patients exhibit weak, transient, or dysfunctional CD8+ T-cell responses to HBV, which contrasts with high CD8+ T-cell responses seen for resolvers of acute HBV infection. Therefore, a therapeutic DNA vaccine was designed, expressing both HBV core and polymerase proteins, and was sequence optimized to ensure high protein expression and secretion. Although the vaccine, administered intramuscularly via electroporation, had no effect on plasma viral parameters in a mouse model of persistent HBV infection, it did induce robust HBV-specific immune responses in healthy and adeno-associated hepatitis B virus (AAV-HBV) infected mice as well as in healthy non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorien De Pooter
- Janssen Infectious Diseases, Janssen Research and Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium; (E.V.G.); (A.C.); (H.H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ellen Van Gulck
- Janssen Infectious Diseases, Janssen Research and Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium; (E.V.G.); (A.C.); (H.H.)
| | - Antony Chen
- Janssen Infectious Diseases, Janssen Research and Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium; (E.V.G.); (A.C.); (H.H.)
| | - Claire F. Evans
- Ichor Medical Systems Inc., 6310 Nancy Ridge Drive, Suite 107, San Diego, CA 92121, USA;
| | - Jean-Marc Neefs
- Discovery Sciences, Janssen Research and Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turn-houtseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium;
| | - Helen Horton
- Janssen Infectious Diseases, Janssen Research and Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium; (E.V.G.); (A.C.); (H.H.)
| | - Daniel Boden
- Janssen Infectious Diseases, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 260 E. Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
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Ezzikouri S, Hoque Kayesh ME, Benjelloun S, Kohara M, Tsukiyama-Kohara K. Targeting Host Innate and Adaptive Immunity to Achieve the Functional Cure of Chronic Hepatitis B. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020216. [PMID: 32403281 PMCID: PMC7349973 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of an effective preventive vaccine for hepatitis B virus (HBV) for over 38 years, chronic HBV (CHB) infection remains a global health burden with around 257 million patients. The ideal treatment goal for CHB infection would be to achieve complete cure; however, current therapies such as peg-interferon and nucleos(t)ide analogs are unable to achieve the functional cure, the newly set target for HBV chronic infection. Considering the fact functional cure has been accepted as an endpoint in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B by scientific committee, the development of alternative therapeutic strategies is urgently needed to functionally cure CHB infection. A promising target for future therapeutic strategies is immune modulation to restore dysfunctional HBV-specific immunity. In this review, we provide an overview of the progress in alternative therapeutic strategies, including immune-based therapeutic approaches that enhance host innate and adaptive immunity to achieve and increase the functional cure from CHB infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayeh Ezzikouri
- Virology Unit, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca 20250, Morocco;
- Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan;
- Correspondence: (S.E.); (K.T.-K.); Tel.: +212-5-2243-4470 (S.E.); Tel./Fax: +81-99-285-3589 (K.T.-K.)
| | - Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh
- Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan;
- Department of Microbiology and Public Health, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Barishal 8210, Bangladesh
| | - Soumaya Benjelloun
- Virology Unit, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca 20250, Morocco;
| | - Michinori Kohara
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan;
| | - Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara
- Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan;
- Correspondence: (S.E.); (K.T.-K.); Tel.: +212-5-2243-4470 (S.E.); Tel./Fax: +81-99-285-3589 (K.T.-K.)
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Cornberg M, Lok ASF, Terrault NA, Zoulim F. Guidance for design and endpoints of clinical trials in chronic hepatitis B - Report from the 2019 EASL-AASLD HBV Treatment Endpoints Conference ‡. J Hepatol 2020; 72:539-557. [PMID: 31730789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Representatives from academia, industry, regulatory agencies, and patient groups convened in March 2019 with the primary goal of developing agreement on chronic HBV treatment endpoints to guide clinical trials aiming to 'cure' HBV. Agreement among the conference participants was reached on some key points. 'Functional' but not sterilising cure is achievable and should be defined as sustained HBsAg loss in addition to undetectable HBV DNA 6 months post-treatment. The primary endpoint of phase III trials should be functional cure; HBsAg loss in ≥30% of patients was suggested as an acceptable rate of response in these trials. Sustained virologic suppression (undetectable serum HBV DNA) without HBsAg loss 6 months after discontinuation of treatment would be an intermediate goal. Demonstrated validity for the prediction of sustained HBsAg loss was considered the most appropriate criterion for the approval of new HBV assays to determine efficacy endpoints. Clinical trials aimed at HBV functional cure should initially focus on patients with HBeAg-positive or negative chronic hepatitis, who are treatment-naïve or virally suppressed on nucleos(t)ide analogues. A hepatitis flare associated with an increase in bilirubin or international normalised ratio should prompt temporary or permanent cessation of an investigational treatment. New treatments must be as safe as existing nucleos(t)ide analogues. The primary endpoint for phase III trials for HDV coinfection should be undetectable serum HDV RNA 6 months after stopping treatment. On treatment HDV RNA suppression associated with normalisation of alanine aminotransferase is considered an intermediate goal. In conclusion, regarding HBV 'functional cure', the primary goal is sustained HBsAg loss with undetectable HBV DNA after completion of treatment and the intermediate goal is sustained undetectable HBV DNA without HBsAg loss after stopping treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany; Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), Hannover, Germany.
| | - Anna Suk-Fong Lok
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Norah A Terrault
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck Medicine at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- Hepatology Department, Hospices Civils de Lyon, INSERM U1052, University of Lyon, France
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Cornberg M, Lok ASF, Terrault NA, Zoulim F. Guidance for design and endpoints of clinical trials in chronic hepatitis B - Report from the 2019 EASL-AASLD HBV Treatment Endpoints Conference. Hepatology 2019; 71:1070-1092. [PMID: 31713892 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Representatives from academia, industry, regulatory agencies, and patient groups convened in March 2019 with the primary goal of developing agreement on chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment endpoints to guide clinical trials aiming to 'cure' HBV. Agreement among the conference participants was reached on some key points. 'Functional' but not sterilizing cure is achievable and should be defined as sustained HBsAg loss in addition to undetectable HBV DNA 6 months post-treatment. The primary endpoint of phase 3 trials should be functional cure; HBsAg loss in ≥30% of patients was suggested as an acceptable rate of response in these trials. Sustained virologic suppression (undetectable serum HBV DNA) without HBsAg loss, 6 months after discontinuation of treatment would be an intermediate goal. Demonstrated validity in predicting sustained HBsAg loss was considered the most appropriate criterion for the approval of new HBV assays to determine efficacy endpoints. Clinical trials aimed at HBV functional cure should initially focus on patients with HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis, treatment-naïve or virally suppressed on nucleos(t)ide analogues. A hepatitis flare associated with increase in bilirubin or INR should prompt temporary or permanent cessation of investigational treatment. New treatments must be as safe as existing nucleos(t)ide analogues. The primary endpoint for phase 3 trials for hepatitis D virus (HDV) co-infection should be undetectable serum HDV RNA 6 months after stopping treatment. On treatment HDV RNA suppression associated with normalization of ALT is considered an intermediate goal. CONCLUSION: For HBV 'functional cure', sustained HBsAg loss with undetectable HBV DNA after completion of treatment is the primary goal and sustained undetectable HBV DNA without HBsAg loss after stopping treatment an intermediate goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Anna Suk-Fong Lok
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Norah A Terrault
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck Medicine at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- Hepatology Department, Hospices Civils de Lyon, INSERM U1052, University of Lyon, France
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Zoulim F, Fournier C, Habersetzer F, Sprinzl M, Pol S, Coffin CS, Leroy V, Ma M, Wedemeyer H, Lohse AW, Thimme R, Lugardon K, Martin P, Bastien B, Sansas B, Adda N, Halluard C, Bendjama K, Brandely M, Inchauspé G. Safety and immunogenicity of the therapeutic vaccine TG1050 in chronic hepatitis B patients: a phase 1b placebo-controlled trial. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019; 16:388-399. [PMID: 31373537 PMCID: PMC7158919 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1651141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) typically requires life-long administration of drugs. Cohort and pre-clinical studies have established the link between a functional T-cell-mounted immunity and resolution of infection. TG1050 is an adenovirus 5-based vaccine that expresses HBV polymerase and domains of core and surface antigen and has shown immunogenicity and antiviral effects in mice. We performed a phase 1 clinical trial to assess safety and explore immunogenicity and early efficacy of TG1050 in CHB patients. This randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study included two sequential phases: one single dose cohort (SD, n = 12) and one multiple (3) doses cohort (MD, n = 36). Patients, virally suppressed under nucleoside(d)tide analog NUC therapy, were randomized 1:1:1 across 3 dose levels (DL) and assigned to receive 109, 1010, 1011 virus particles (vp) of TG1050 and then randomized within each DL to placebo (3:1 and 9:3 vaccines/placebo in each DL, respectively, for the SD and MD cohorts). Cellular (ELISPOT) and antibody responses (anti-Adenovirus), as well as evolution of circulating HBsAg and HBcrAg, were monitored. All doses were well tolerated in both cohorts, without severe adverse event. TG1050 was capable to induce IFN-γ producing T-cells targeting 1 to 3 encoded antigens, in particular at the 1010vp dose. Overall, minor decreases of HBsAg were observed while a number of vaccinees reached unquantifiable HBcrAg by end of the study. In CHB patients under NUC, TG1050 exhibited a good safety profile and was capable to induce HBV-specific cellular immune response. These data support further clinical evaluation, especially in combination studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Zoulim
- Service d'hépato-Gastroentérologie, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Lyon, France
| | | | | | - Martin Sprinzl
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stanislas Pol
- Service Gastroentérologie et Hépatologie, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Carla S Coffin
- Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Vincent Leroy
- Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, CHU, Grenoble, France
| | - Mang Ma
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northern Alberta Clinical Trials and Research Centre, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ansgar W Lohse
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robert Thimme
- Uniklinik, Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Karine Lugardon
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
| | - Perrine Martin
- Deptartment Maladies Infectieuses, Transgene SA, Lyon, France
| | - Bérangère Bastien
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
| | - Benoit Sansas
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
| | - Nathalie Adda
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
| | - Celine Halluard
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
| | - Kaïdre Bendjama
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
| | - Maud Brandely
- Deptartment Affaires Médicales, Reseach, Project, Transgene SA, Illkirch, France
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A Highly Attenuated Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Based Vaccine Platform Controls Hepatitis B Virus Replication in Mouse Models of Hepatitis B. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01586-18. [PMID: 30541859 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01586-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic vaccines may be an important component of a treatment regimen for curing chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We previously demonstrated that recombinant wild-type vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing the HBV middle surface glycoprotein (MHBs) elicits functional immune responses in mouse models of HBV replication. However, VSV has some undesirable pathogenic properties, and the use of this platform in humans requires further viral attenuation. We therefore generated a highly attenuated VSV that expresses MHBs and contains two attenuating mutations. This vector was evaluated for immunogenicity, pathogenesis, and anti-HBV function in mice. Compared to wild-type VSV, the highly attenuated virus displayed markedly reduced pathogenesis but induced similar MHBs-specific CD8+ T cell and antibody responses. The CD8+ T cell responses elicited by this vector in naive mice prevented HBV replication in animals that were later challenged by hydrodynamic injection or transduction with adeno-associated virus encoding the HBV genome (AAV-HBV). In mice in which persistent HBV replication was first established by AAV-HBV transduction, subsequent immunization with the attenuated VSV induced MHBs-specific CD8+ T cell responses that corresponded with reductions in serum and liver HBV antigens and nucleic acids. HBV control was associated with an increase in the frequency of intrahepatic HBV-specific CD8+ T cells and a transient elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase activity. The ability of VSV to induce a robust multispecific T cell response that controls HBV replication combined with the improved safety profile of the highly attenuated vector suggests that this platform offers a new approach for HBV therapeutic vaccination.IMPORTANCE A curative treatment for chronic hepatitis B must eliminate the virus from the liver, but current antiviral therapies typically fail to do so. Immune-mediated resolution of infection occurs in a small fraction of chronic HBV patients, which suggests the potential efficacy of therapeutic strategies that boost the patient's own immune response to the virus. We modified a safe form of VSV to express an immunogenic HBV protein and evaluated the efficacy of this vector in the prevention and treatment of HBV infection in mouse models. Our results show that this vector elicits HBV-specific immune responses that prevent the establishment of HBV infection and reduce viral proteins in the serum and viral DNA/RNA in the liver of mice with persistent HBV replication. These findings suggest that highly attenuated and safe virus-based vaccine platforms have the potential to be utilized for the development of an effective therapeutic vaccine against chronic HBV infection.
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