When Was Hepatitis First Discovered? Hep C/Hep B

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When Was Hepatitis First Discovered? Hep C/Hep B

HCV Flashback:Ancient History

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2000 B.C. First recorded references to hepatitis epidemics..

1947

F.O. MacCallum, using human volunteers, differentiates hepatitis A, which is spread by contaminated food and water, from hepatitis B, which is spread by blood..

1963

Baruch Blumberg and Harvey Alter discover Aa, the Australian antigen (later called HBsAg)..

1967-1968

Blumberg, Kazuo Okochi, Alfred Prince, Alberto Vierrucci, and colleagues report that Aa is involved in the development of hepatitis B.

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1969

Irving Millman and Blumberg devise a concept and through the Fox Chase Cancer Center receive a patent for using Aa to prepare a hepatitis B vaccine..;

1970

D. S. Dane discovers whole hepatitis B virus particles in blood samples examined with the electron microscope.

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1972

Laws are passed in the United States requiring testing of donor blood for HBsAg antigen.

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1973-1974

Feinstone and colleagues and Maurice Hilleman and colleagues discover and describe hepatitis A virus.

... ;Hepatitis C

, It is impossible to really know the origins of hepatitis C since there are no stored blood samples to test for thevirus that are older than 50 years.However, given the nature of the evolution of all viruses, hepatitis C has probably been around for hundreds of thousands of years or more before evolving into the current strains.Some experts speculate that since HGV/GBV-C, a close relative of HCV, originated in Old and New World primates, the beginnings of HCV might be traced back to 35 million years ago.However, this is just speculation and it is impossible to corroborate these theories at the present time.Source: HCV Advocate

...1974

Post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis first described hepatitis C in 1974.Consequently, chronicity of post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis was discovered as a blandly symptomatic disease with elevation of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and chronic hepatitis seen on liver biopsy.The infectious nature of the entity was confirmed when the disease could be conveyed from humans to chimpanzees. The etiologic agent, the hepatitis C virus (HCV), was recognized as a genetic sequence in 1989 by Choo through random polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays in plasma of chimpanzees chronically infected with non-A, non-B hepatitis, that led to the development of a first-generation HCV antibody test that identified HCV as the basis of majority cases of formerly "diagnosed" non-A, non-B hepatitis.In 1974, it was first recognized that not all cases of viral hepatitis were hepatitis A or hepatitis B. It proved difficult to

identify the infectious agent responsible for these cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis. However, it has recently become clear that many cases of post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis are the result of infection with a new virus, hepatitis Cl

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Read more: http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Health/Hepatitis-C-virus-infections-in-post-transfusion-hepatitis-an-analysis-with-first-and-second-generat.html#ixzz0pzOXrhmI

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1975

Wolf Szmuness and Hilleman and colleagues begin tests of the hepatitis B vaccine.

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1977

Rizzetto and Gerin discover hepatitis D.,

1980-1981

Subunit hepatitis B virus vaccine derived from blood serum is developed by Hilleman and colleagues, proved effective and licensed for general use. ,

1981.The Lancet, Volume 317, Issue 8227, Pages 982 - 984, 2 May 1981NON-A, NON-B HEPATITIS IN WEST LONDONOriginal TextL.J. Farrow a, J.S. a, H. Stern b, R.E. Clifford c, H.G. c, A.J. Zuckerman cAbstract

Acute and convalescent sera from 368 patients drawn from a 3-year survey of viral hepatitis in West London were tested by radioimmunoassay for evidence of recent infection with hepatitis A or B and, if neither was found, antibody to Epstein-Barr (EB) virus and cytomegalovirus. In 215 patients (58%) there was evidence of hepatitis A, in 98 (27%) hepatitis B, and in 5 both A and B. 2 patients with evidence of recent EB virus infection were excluded, leaving 48 (13%) attributed to non-A, non-B hepatitis. This illness was milder than hepatitis B as judged by duration of jaundice and peak serum bilirubin alanine-aminotransferase levels. The ratio of men to women was 1.4 to 1, but there was an excess of women in their twenties, most of whom were single. Only one had received blood, and none was a drug addict.../,

1983

Mikhail Balayan describes the hepatitis E virus. ,.

1983-1986

Subunit hepatitis B virus vaccine derived from yeast is developed by Rutter and colleagues and approved for use..

1984 ."In the United States, non-A non-B hepatitis afflicts about 120,000 people a year, 90,000 of whom get the disease through blood transfusion. An estimated 1,000 Americans die each year from non-A non-B hepatitis"."Dr. Prince said he did not believe the virus his group had found was a retrovirus. He proposes that it be called the ''hepatitis C virus.''The hepatitis in question is now called non-A non-B, signifying that it represents liver disease caused by a virus or viruses other than the two known viruses hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Hole in Screening Process"'NEW REPORT CITES A HEPATITIS CAUSE'By HAROLD M. SCHMECK JR. Published:.,

November 18, 1984

Scientists of the New York Blood Center have reported the discovery of a new virus they believe may be the major cause of hepatitis transmitted through blood transfusion.The report was the second in two weeks to claim discovery of the probable cause of most cases of post-transfusion hepatitis, a liver disease that affects 90,000 Americans each year. Whether or not the two reports represent the same virus is unknown.If either or both of the research teams that issued reports have found a major cause of this form of the disease, called non-A non-B hepatitis, it may be possible to develop screening tests to eliminate the viruses from blood used for transfusion............ Continue Reading ,/.

1986Treatment of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis with recombinant human alpha interferon. A preliminary report.Volume 315:1575-1578December 18, 1986Number 25

Abstract

We treated 10 patients who had chronic non-A,non-B hepatitis with recombinant human alpha interferon in varying doses (0.5 to 5 million units) daily, every other day, or three times weekly for up to 12 months. In 8 of the 10 patients, elevated serum aminotransferase levels decreased rapidly during therapy and eventually fell into the normal or nearly normal range. In two of these patients, the interferon therapy was stopped after four months, and in both cases, a prompt return of aminotransferase activities to pretreatment values occurred. Prolonged treatment was associated with a sustained improvementcontiue reading.....,

1989

Bradley provides Chiron with non A-non B hepatitis serum from chimpanzees; Houghton and colleagues discover a single virus, publish the genetic sequence of the viral agent, and change the name to hepatitis C., .

1990

Blood screening for hepatitis C begins.January 1990Hepatitis C test shows promise, pitfallsAn experimental blood test that detects antibodies to hepatitis C in donated blood identities many, but not all, tainted units, two studies indicate. The data suggest that the test, now under consideration by the Food and Drug Administration for routine use in blood banks, will reduce the number of transfussion-associated cases of hepatitis C. But the test's inability to flag all infectious units hints at the presence of an undiscovered causative agent underlying some hepatitis cases, and highlights the difficulties of eliminating the potentially fatal river disease./

1991

FDA Approves Hepatitis C Treatment; Alpha Interferon to Be Used Against Infectious LiverFDA approves first alfa interferon (Schering’sIntron A) to treat hepatitis C.The Washington PostAuthor: Malcolm Gladwell Date:Feb 26, 1991.Non-A/non-B hepatitis - also known as hepatitis C - is an infectious liver disease that strikes about 180,000 Americans every year, largely through contact with infected blood either in a transfusion or through the sharing of intravenous needles by drug addicts. In its chronic form, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and in some cases death.With hepatitis C, however, some drug industry analysts predict alpha interferon sales could approach $1 billion a year. About half of the 180,000 acutely infected with hepatitis C develop the chronic form of the disease - which is marked by sustained inflammation of the liver - making them candidates for the drug.

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1992FDA approves first interferon (Schering-Intron A) to treat hepatitis B.

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1993."The committee also suggested that public service announcements be developed to notify people who received blood donations prior to May 20, 1990, to get a test for hepatitis C".

..Blood and Hepatitis C; FDA Advises Tracing Recipients When Transfusion Is TaintedThe Washington Post -

Washington, D.C.Author: Sally Squires Date: Dec 7, 1993The FDA requires the tracing, or lookbacks, of blood in cases where the blood donor, sometime after the donation, is found to be HIV-positive. Blood is not accepted from anyone who says he has HIV or hepatitis, and it is tested at the time of the donation and discarded if tests reveal the donor has either of the diseases. Sometimes, though, the donor may have contracted one of the diseases but not yet developed the immune system antibodies to fight the viruses, so the blood will pass through the testing undetected. It is blood from those donors that would be traced.The FDA's Blood Products Advisory Committee also recommended unanimously that blood banks begin retrieving and discarding stored plasma and blood products from donors who had recently tested positive for hepatitis C. This would occur even though at the time the blood was drawn the donors tested negative for hepatitis

C. The committee also suggested that public service announcements be developed to notify people who received blood donations prior to May 20, 1990, to get a test for hepatitis C./,

Hepatitis C Treatment TimelinesFrom HCV Advocate

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1996

FDA approves alfa interferon (Roche, nowGenentech- Roferon A ) to treat hepatitis C.

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1997

FDA approves consensus interferon (AmgennowInterMune-Infergen) to treat hepatitis C...

1998

FDA approves Rebetron (Schering’s Intron A plus ribavirin)for the treatment of hepatitis C..... .

2001

Peg-Intron Approved Peg-Intron (Schering’s pegylated interferon alpha-2b) was the first pegylated interferon FDA approved totreat hepatitis C..

2002

Pegasys ApprovedPegasys (Genentech’s pegylated interferon alpha-2a) was approved to treat hepatitis C

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2002

Hepatitis C Bad for Heart.,,.

2003

Intron A (interferon) plus Rebetol (ribavirin- available inoral solution) approved for treating pediatric patients with chronic hepatitis C.

,.,. 2003

Hepatitis C Increases Diabetes Risk

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2005

HCV Replicated in Test Tube2006 Mouse Model Scientists made dramatic in roads into understanding the various mechanisms of action of the hepatitis C virus and replicated various HCV genotypes in a test tube.,,

2007.

Drugs in DevelopmentIn 2007, many new drugs were advanced into development. The leading compound is VX-950 (telaprevir) anHCV protease inhibitor that is being developed by Vertex, ;

Drug Telaprevir in Patients with Genotype 1 Hepatitis C May Cut Treatment Time

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2007,

Hepatitis B found in South Korean 500 year old mummy's liver

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2008

Diabetes Doubles Liver Cancer Risk For Patients With Advanced Hepatitis C

/..,.2009

Direct antiviral medications telaprevir and boceprevir(HCV protease inhibitors) finish enrollment in their clinicaltrials and expect to complete their trials and file formarketing approval late in 2010.m

2010Roche's 18-minute Elecsys Antibody anti-HCV test would scan for total antibodies in human serum or plasma.The test may be used in the diagnosis of HCV infections in those with sympthoms of hepatitis or at risk of hepatitis C which is primarily transmitted through contaminated blood and blood products

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2010

Hepatitis C and Insulin Resistance

Hepatitis C Virus Attacks Brain Cells

Hepatitis C Tied to Higher Kidney Cancer Risk

Hepatitis C Is a Risk Factor for Heart Disease,

2010 New Drugs

The Race Is On For Hepatitis C Treatment

Both drugs are protease inhibitors, which prevent a virus from replicating itself. While they treat the same disease, they are different in both results and side effects. Used on patients who have had no previous treatment, boceprevir and telaprevir beat down the hepatitis C virus to undetectable levels in 66% and 75% of patients respectively, Conover says.Both drugs are likely to go to the Food and Drug Administration for a verdict by the end of the year. That means both could reach the market next year."Right now it's hard to tell who's in the lead," Conover said.

Continue Reading..........,

Telaprevir.

VertexTelaprevir (VX-950) Protease Inhibitor,

Telaprevir Clinical Development PlanTo date, more than 2,500 people with hepatitis C have received telaprevir-based regimens as part of Phase 2 studies and the Phase 3 ADVANCE, ILLUMINATE and REALIZE studies. Together, these studies enrolled people with genotype 1 hepatitis C who had not been treated for their disease previously as well as people who had been treated before but did not achieve a sustained viral response, or viral cure. The telaprevir clinical development program is the largest conducted to date for any investigational direct-acting antiviral hepatitis C therapy. Vertex plans to submit a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the fourth quarter of 2010...,The Data REALIZE

A last stage clinical trialreleased by Vertex PharmaceuticalsVertex reveals that one of its drugs proved effective for hepatitis C patients who did not benefit from any other treatment.,Telaprevir, the company’s experimental drug, helped 65 percent of hepatitis C patients whose prior therapies were unsuccessful.This was the last of 3 major phases of telaprevir conducted by Vertex and partner & (JNJ), previous ones released in May and August this year.“This last phase III study, dubbed "Realize," was set up to confirm previous, earlier findings that showed telaprevir could cure a significant number of hepatitis C patients without treatment options because they failed to respond to the current standard of careâ€, the officials revealed.Details of the trial looked at 662 hepatitis C patients whose bodies seemed to be resistant to all other treatments.,.

Results of the trial.,

Boceprevir

Direct antiviral therapy for HCVCurrently approved treatments for chronic HCV infection are designed to boost the host's immune response to help eradicate the virus. In contrast, Schering-Plough's boceprevir is designed to directly attack the virus by inhibiting protease enzymes that are critical to HCV replication. Clinical studies suggest that it is a potent addition to standard therapies in patients with HCV genotype-1, the most common and hardest form of HCV to treat.

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Video Update on Boceprevir Top Line Phase III Results: Boceprevir l

New HCV Drug Pipeline

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Hepatitis C Treatments in Current Clinical Development

Alan Franciscus Editor-in-Chief PDF version click

here,

New drugs for treating hepatitis C in development, Specifically targeted antiviral therapy for HCV (STAT-C)

New drugs in development for the treatment of hepatitis C ,

New HCV Antivirals in the Pipeline

Many companies have multiple drugs in development. There are many potential combinations for regimens. Therapy for HCV will be like HIV consisting of a combination of the oral drugs. For now peginterferon plus ribavirin will be included in therapy until and if researchers can prove that an SVR, a cure, can be achieved without using peginterferon and ribavirin. Plus, there are a few new interferons in development that appear to be easier to tolerate. The first 2 HCV protease inhibitors telaprevir & boceprevir are now in the last stage of clinical studies in patients, phase 3, before FDA approval, which is expected next around Summer 2011, so they are expected to be available in the pharmacy by the Fall of 2011.

New Antivirals In The Pipeline

http://Hepatitis Cnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2010/10/when-was-hepatitis-first-discovered-hep.html