Immune profiling to guide host-directed interventions to cure HBV infections

The objective of the EU-funded IP-cure-B project is to develop novel curative concepts for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The project aims to improve the cure rate of CHB by boosting innate immunity with immune modulators and stimulating adaptive immune responses with a novel therapeutic vaccine. Researchers will also identify immune and viral biomarkers for patient stratification and treatment response monitoring. Integration of biological and clinical data will enable models for the best combination treatment and effectiveness of novel curative therapies with respect to disease spectrum and patient heterogeneity. The preclinical platform will be evaluated in humanised mice, combining immune-modulatory strategies to stimulate innate immunity, rescue exhausted HBV-specific T cells and generate anti-HBV adaptive responses. Proof of concept will be obtained in a clinical trial of a combination of novel compounds stimulating innate immunity.