What the trial was testing
The REEF-1 enrolled 471 patients with hepatitis b. The study was sponsored by Janssen Sciences Ireland UC and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was mid-stage testing (phase 2/3). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
19% of patients on the highest dose met targets for potentially stopping daily hepatitis B drugs.
The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2023 · NCT03982186
These findings — that met targets for potentially stopping daily hepatitis B drugs at 48 weeks — were published in the The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 471 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with hepatitis b, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This was mid-stage testing and JNJ-3989 is not yet FDA-approved. The treatment lowered virus levels meaningfully in many patients, which could help future therapies work better. If you have chronic hepatitis B, talk to your doctor about ongoing trials or other approved options.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open hepatitis b trials
Evaluation of Patients With Liver Disease
The proposed study aims to evaluate, investigate, and follow-up patients suffering from acute and chronic liver disease. The study will focus on understanding diseases affecting the liver. Patients participating in the study will first undergo a routine check-up as an outpatient. They will be asked to provide blood and urine samples for laboratory testing and will undergo an ultrasound of the liver. Ultrasound examinations use sound waves to determine the size and texture of the liver. After the initial visit subjects will be requested to follow-up once a year at the outpatient department for a similar check-up. Additional tests may be requested throughout the study to provide information for other research studies and individual consent will be requested. These tests may include liver biopsies, skin biopsies, and / or specialized blood, plasma, and lymphocyte examinations. Subjects that qualify for medications presently being studied may be offered the opportunity to benefit from experimental therapy.
A Multicenter Study of AHB-137 Injection Combined With Other Hepatitis B Drugs
This is a randomized, open-label, multicenter phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AHB-137 injection in combination with other hepatitis B drugs in participants with HBeAg-negative CHB treated with NAs.