AusperBio reports 15-month functional cure durability for AHB-137 in hepatitis B

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

For most people with chronic hepatitis B, daily antiviral pills suppress the virus but do not clear it. A small follow-up study now reports that an experimental antisense oligonucleotide, AHB-137, kept the virus undetectable in some participants for up to 15 months after every hepatitis B treatment stopped. The study defines functional cure as hepatitis B surface antigen below 0.05 IU/mL and HBV DNA below 10 IU/mL for at least 24 weeks without treatment.

The data come from two late-breaking presentations at The Liver Meeting 2026. In 17 evaluable participants who had taken nucleos(t)ide analogues, 9 of 9 remained in functional cure at 15 months after stopping those drugs. Among 7 treatment-naïve participants who had received 16 weeks of AHB-137 alone, 6 stayed in functional cure through 15 months; the seventh rebounded and withdrew.

Why it matters

If the durability holds in larger trials, hepatitis B treatment could become a finite course rather than lifelong suppression.

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Key Indicators

9 of 9

NA-treated participants in functional cure at 15 months

Evaluable participants who maintained functional cure 15 months after stopping nucleos(t)ide analogues.

16 of 17

NA-treated participants in functional cure at 12 months

Evaluable participants who maintained functional cure 12 months after stopping nucleos(t)ide analogues.

6 of 7

Treatment-naïve participants in functional cure at 15 months

Participants who received 16 weeks of AHB-137 alone and remained in functional cure through follow-up.

85.7%

Treatment-naïve functional cure rate among complete responders

Six of seven complete responders maintained functional cure at 9 months; all six continued through 15 months.

15 months

Longest off-treatment follow-up

The current durability data extend to 15 months after all HBV treatment stopped.

NA-treated cohort enrolled

Participants enrolled from two Phase 2 parent studies into the long-term follow-up study.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Junqi Niu

Lead author, AB-10-8004 NA-treated cohort; hepatologist at The First Hospital of Jilin University

Presented 15-month follow-up data at AASLD 2026

Jinlin Hou

Senior author, AB-10-8004; hepatologist at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University

Co-authored the AASLD 2026 follow-up abstract

Organizations Involved

AusperBio Therapeutics

Biopharmaceutical company

Developing AHB-137 as an investigational hepatitis B therapy

AusperBio is developing oligonucleotide therapeutics, including the antisense drug AHB-137 for chronic hepatitis B.

American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

Medical society

Hosted the late-breaking presentations at The Liver Meeting 2026

AASLD is the medical society that runs The Liver Meeting, where the AHB-137 follow-up data were presented.

Timeline

2 events Latest: 3 days ago

November 2026
AusperBio reports 15-month functional cure follow-up
Latest Company statement

Company says functional cure lasted up to 15 months off treatment.
3 days ago
AASLD late-breakers present AHB-137 durability data
Conference

Two talks report durable functional cure after AHB-137 in small cohorts.
4 days ago

Scenarios

Phase 3 trial of AHB-137 begins by mid-2027

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: AusperBio says the data support continued development; no Phase 3 start date is disclosed.

If the company advances AHB-137, a Phase 3 study would test whether the 15-month durability seen in small Phase 2 cohorts holds in hundreds of patients. A posted trial listing is the first concrete sign.

Updated follow-up confirms functional cure at 24 months

Possible Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: The AB-10-8004 abstracts say longer follow-up is ongoing.

The current data stop at 15 months. A 24-month readout would show whether responses deepen, hold, or fade after all treatment stops.

Larger trial finds weaker durability

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: The AASLD abstracts note small cohorts and one treatment-naïve rebound.

A Phase 2b or Phase 3 trial with more participants could show that the high cure rates were partly a small-sample effect. Rebound in more than a few responders would weaken the finite-therapy case.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2013–2014

Hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals (2013–2014)

In December 2013, the Food and Drug Administration approved sofosbuvir, the first of several direct-acting antivirals that cured most hepatitis C patients after 12 to 24 weeks. The drugs turned a chronic infection into a finite-course target.

Then

High prices rationed access, and insurers limited treatment to sicker patients.

Now

Hepatitis C became a curable infection for most treated patients, with cure defined by sustained virologic response.

Why this matters now

The hepatitis C case shows that a finite antiviral cure can reshape a chronic infection. Hepatitis B is harder because its DNA persists in the nucleus.

2005

Pegylated interferon for chronic hepatitis B (2005)

Peginterferon alfa-2a was approved for chronic hepatitis B as a finite course. It produced hepatitis B surface antigen loss in only a minority of patients.

Then

It remained a niche option because of side effects and modest cure rates.

Now

Daily nucleos(t)ide analogues became the mainstay, but they rarely clear the virus and are often taken indefinitely.

Why this matters now

AHB-137 is trying to improve on the finite-course idea with higher functional cure rates and better durability.