New Hepatitis D Treatment Hits 88% Success in 2-Year Trial

People living with chronic hepatitis D just got their best hope yet for a treatment that actually works.

New data from the SOLSTICE trial shows that 88% of patients treated with tobevibart and elebsiran had no detectable hepatitis D virus in their blood after two years. That's a stunning turnaround for a disease that currently has limited treatment options and typically progresses to irreversible liver scarring within five years.

Hepatitis D is particularly nasty because it only infects people who already have hepatitis B, creating a dangerous co-infection that damages the liver faster than hepatitis B alone. Until now, patients have had few effective ways to fight back.

The experimental treatment combines two therapies given as monthly injections under the skin. Tobevibart blocks viral particles from entering cells, while elebsiran shuts down production of hepatitis B proteins that hepatitis D needs to survive and replicate.

Vir Biotechnology tested the combination in 95 adults with chronic hepatitis D, including patients with and without cirrhosis. After one year, 66% of patients on the combination therapy had no detectable virus. By two years, that number jumped to 88% among those who continued treatment.

Patients who received tobevibart alone saw lower success rates at 46% by week 96, suggesting the combination approach makes a real difference. Most side effects have been mild to moderate and temporary, with no serious safety concerns reported for the combination therapy.

The Bright Side

This isn't just about impressive numbers in a clinical trial. For people living with hepatitis D, undetectable virus levels mean their livers can start healing instead of deteriorating. It means more time with family, more years to pursue dreams, and freedom from the constant worry of liver failure.

The treatment could redefine standard care for chronic hepatitis D, according to Vir CEO Marianne De Backer. Three follow-up trials called the ECLIPSE program are already underway to confirm these results and compare the combination therapy against existing treatments.

The Phase 3 ECLIPSE 1 trial has finished enrollment and expects results by year's end. Two additional trials will report data in early 2027, including one testing the combination against bulevirtide, currently approved in Europe for hepatitis D treatment.

For thousands of patients who've watched their liver health decline with few options, these results offer something they haven't had in a long time: real hope for a healthier future.