AIDS Drug Found Effective Against Hepatitis B Virus : Science File / an exploration of issues and trends affecting science, medicine and the environment

A medicine approved last month to treat AIDS also shows promise against hepatitis B. The drug, 3TC, suppresses the hepatitis B virus in people with chronic infections, stopping its damage to the liver, a team from Massachusetts General Hospital reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

About 1 million Americans are thought to be infected with hepatitis B, which, left untreated, can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer in a small portion of victims.

Currently, the only treatment for hepatitis B is interferon, which can permanently eliminate the virus in about one-third of patients. It must be injected for four to six months and often has unpleasant side effects, including flu-like symptoms, fatigue and depression. The Massachusetts General team found that 3TC appeared to knock out the virus permanently in about 20% of patients when given for three months.