New Hepatitis B Drug Approved. (Image: Canva)
\n\nThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Hibsago (bepirovirsen), a new kind of treatment for certain adults with chronic hepatitis B. In clinical trials, the drug helped some patients keep the virus under control even after they stopped all hepatitis B medicines. Announced on October 20, 2026, the approval makes Hibsago the first FDA-approved antisense oligonucleotide for chronic hepatitis B.
\n\nThe drug was approved for GSK plc, which licensed bepirovirsen from Ionis and developed it together with the company. The US decision follows Japan, which gave the drug its first approval anywhere in the world in August 2026.
\n\n“For many people living with chronic hepatitis B, treatment can mean taking antiviral medication for years to keep the virus suppressed,” said Wendy Carter, DO, acting director of the Office of Infectious Diseases in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Hibsago provides a new treatment approach that gives some patients the possibility of maintaining control of the virus after all chronic HBV treatment has ended. This approval represents an important advance for people living with this serious disease.”
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Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/lifestyle
