| Title: |
Bulevirtide in Chronic Hepatitis D Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation Results From a French Multicentric Retrospective Study |
| Authors: |
Meszaros, Magdalena; Hilleret, Marie‐Noëlle; Dumortier, Jérôme; D'Alteroche, Louis; Abergel, Armand; Latournerie, Marianne; Antonini, Teresa; Conti, Filomena; Borentain, Patrick; Dharancy, Sébastien; Pageaux, Georges‐Philippe |
| Source: |
Liver International ; volume 45, issue 3 ; ISSN 1478-3223 1478-3231 |
| Publisher Information: |
Wiley |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
Wiley Online Library (Open Access Articles via Crossref) |
| Description: |
Background and Aims The impact of bulevirtide in patients awaiting liver transplantation (LT) for decompensated liver disease and/or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. We assessed clinical, virological, and biochemical responses to bulevirtide in patients with chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) awaiting LT and compared outcomes with a cohort of similar untreated patients. Methods Consecutive HDV‐infected patients waiting for LT since bulevirtide approval were included. Patients receiving 2 mg of bulevirtide daily had clinical, biological, and virological data collected at baseline, Week 24, Week 48, at LT, and post‐LT. Patients not receiving bulevirtide had data collected at baseline, LT, and post‐LT for comparison. Results Forty‐one patients from nine LT centers were included. In the bulevirtide group (20 patients; mean age 52.8 ± 9.98 years; 75% male), 65%, 10% and 25% were Child‐Pugh A, B and C, respectively. Fifteen completed 48 weeks of therapy. At 48 weeks, median HDV RNA decreased by 2.56 log IU/mL ( p = 0.004). Virological and biochemical responses were obtained in 73.3% and 66.6% of patients. Twelve patients (60%) underwent LT. No serious adverse events occurred. Bulevirtide improved liver function, enabling one (7.1%) HCC patient to undergo chemoembolization while on the WL and leading to delisting of three (15%) other patients. In untreated patients (mean age 42.9 ± 7.9 years; 76.2% Child‐Pugh C), none were delisted. Three‐month transplant‐free survival was 76.9% in the bulevirtide group versus 36.7% ( p = 0.007) in the control group. Conclusions Bulevirtide demonstrates safety and efficacy in HDV‐infected patients listed on the LT waiting list and may potentially improve pre‐transplant outcomes. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1111/liv.70033 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.70033; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/liv.70033 |
| Rights: |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.F7816B98 |
| Database: |
BASE |