A Korean doctor has found patients who showed resistance to Viread (compound: tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), a chronic hepatitis B therapy developed by Gilead Science, for the first time in the world.

Viread_비리어드, one of the two drugs which share the chronic hepatitis B treatment market along with Baraclude, had shown remarkable anti-virus effects with no drug-resistant patients found throughout the world.

Professor Lee Jeong-hoon_이정훈 of Seoul National University College of Medicine_{서울대 의과대학} reported two Viread-resistant patients for the first time in the world, in his presentation titled “Identification of a triple mutation that confers Tenofovir resistance in chronic hepatitis B patients” during “The Liver Week 2017” Symposium Saturday.

According to Professor Lee, these patients had taken various therapies such as Zeffix, Hepsera and Baraclude, and showed resistance to the drugs and were taking the strongest anti-virus combination of Baraclude and Viread. Even Baraclude+Viread combination didn’t work, and four resistant cells, such as rtS106C, rtH126Y, rtD134E, and rtL269I, were detected. The two patients are in their 50s to 60s and had received regular outpatient treatments.

Lee said aside from the two patients, he has found more patients suspected of having resistance to the drug and are confirming it through tests. The additional suspects hadn’t taken any anti-virus drugs before.

“This test shows Viread also has resistance. Any kinds of nucleoside and nucleotide analog anti-virus medicines can’t be free from inducing resistance. Viread was not an exception, either,” Lee said.

“The two resistant cases to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate among thousands of patients are more symbolic than having clinical significance, however. There is a small possibility of causing resistance to tenofovir,” Lee went on to say. “Many ongoing clinical trials have shown the single treatment with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is effective enough to cure HBV with multiple resistance.”

The recent test result means doctors should be aware that Viread, too, can cause resistance and remain suspicious, the professor emphasized again.

“Currently, it is not easy to provide additional treatment for patients with resistance to Viread,” Lee said. “We have confirmed ‘core inhibitor’ now under development is effective to these resistant viruses. We have found the solution, but it will take time to commercialize the ‘core inhibitor.’”

pkt77@docdocdoc.co.kr

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