Kinetics of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) quasispecies during REP2139-Ca therapy in HBeAg+ chronic HBV infection

In REP102 study, HBeAG positive chronic hepatitis B patients were subjected to REP2139-Ca therapy for period of 32-58 weeks. Nine patients who experienced >2 log 10HBsAg reductions from baseline during REP 2139-Ca monotherapy were considered responders and were eligible to receive add-on immunotherapy. However, 3 patients experienced HBsAg reductions <1 log 10 during 24-40 weeks of REP 2139-Ca monotherapy were considered non-responders and entered into follow-up assessment without receiving immunotherapy. Deep sequencing analysis was performed to assess the genetic complexity and diversity of Hepatitis B virus (HBV). The dynamics changes in HBV quasispecies (QS) within the major hydrophillic region (MHR) of the "S" open reading frame (ORF) including the "a" determinant region was characterized among the responders and non-responders of the REP-102 study.