THIS NOVEL EPIGENETIC SILENCING APPROACH OFFERS NEW HOPE FOR CLINICIANS .
INDUSTRY WATCH
THIS NOVEL EPIGENETIC SILENCING APPROACH OFFERS NEW HOPE FOR CLINICIANS .
Leading epigenetic therapy company Tune Therapeutics will begin a clinical trial in Hong Kong after receiving a Certificate for Clinical Trial from the Hong Kong Department of Health .
This marks the second global approval to commence a Phase 1b clinical trial for Tune-401 , an investigational epigenetic silencing therapy designed to treat chronic hepatitis B ( CHB ).
“ We ’ re taking a fresh angle on the battle against chronic hepatitis B ,” said Derek Jantz , Chief Scientific Officer , Tune Therapeutics .
“ Current standard-of-care treatments are rarely curative due to the virus mechanism of infection . But by employing epigenetic silencing to target both integrated viral DNA and cccDNA , we are replicating the natural processes observed in spontaneous functional cure and aiming to make that outcome the norm in HBV treatment .”
The Hong Kong trial will be led by Professor Man- Fung Yuen – world-renowned hepatologist and Chair Professor of The University of Hong Kong and the Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , Queen Mary Hospital , Hong Kong .
“ Over 257 million people are still living with chronic hepatitis B , and worldwide the disease disproportionately impacts Asian and Pacific Islander populations ,” said Dr . Yuen .
“ While early screening and detection is still paramount , this novel epigenetic silencing approach offers new hope for clinicians and could make a major impact in these patient groups in particular .”
According to the World Health Organization , the burden of Hepatitis infection is highest in the Western Pacific Region – including China , Japan , Cambodia , New Zealand and Australia .
www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO APAC 73