Drug suppresses hep B in co-infected HIV patients

The drug tenofovir (TDF) could be effective in suppressing hepatitis B (HBV) in HIV/HBV co-infected patients, according to new research presented at the 16th Conference of Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Montreal.

These findings, from a study conducted by a number of French hospitals, found that TDF – which can be used to jointly combat HIV and HBV – can produce a sustained suppression of HBV.

Researchers initially identified 168 patients for the trial. The beneficial effects of TDF were widespread and most of the small number of cases in which the treatment did not produce results concordant with the overall norm were attributed to patients not properly observing the course of treatment.

In conclusion, the researchers wrote: "TDF exerts a long lasting antiviral effect in HIV/HBV-co-infected patients and most of the observed 'failures' were likely as a result of poor adherence."

The World Health Organisation estimates that around two billion people worldwide have been infected with the disease and about 350 million live with the chronic form of the infection.