Therapeutic potential of a combined hepatitis B virus surface and core antigen vaccine in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Purpose The safety and clinical efficacy of a vaccine containing both hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) (HBsAg/HBcAg) were evaluated in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods Eighteen patients with CHB were administered a vaccine containing 100 μg of HBsAg and 100 μg of HBcAg. The vaccine was administered ten times at 2-weekly intervals, the first five times via the nasal route only and the subsequent five times via both nasal and subcutaneous routes. The safety and efficacy of this therapeutic approach were assessed by periodic assessment of the patients' general condition, viral kinetics, and biochemical parameters during treatment and 24 and 48 weeks after therapy. The production of cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear…