Sci B Vac Proven to Prevent Recurrence of Hepatitis B

Scigen Limited announced that Sci B Vac, Scigen’s third-generation hepatitis B vaccine derived from mammalian cells, has been proven to prevent recurrence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients receiving antiviral prohylaxis after liver transplantation for chronic hepatitis B.

Antivirals (Lamivudine) monoprophylaxis against HBV administered to prevent reinfection after liver transplantation is associated with recurrence, the company said. Second generation recombinant HBV vaccine derived from yeast given in combination with antiviral is not effective in preventing such recurrence, it added.

In an investigator-sponsored study at the Center for the Study of Liver Disease at the
University of Hong Kong and published in the American Journal of Transplantation, a combination of antiviral Lamivudin with Sci B Vac was administered to 20 patients. The response rate was 88 percent in patients younger than 50 and 25 percent in older patients.

At the completion of the study all patients remained free of infection, the company said.