What the trial was testing
The Piranga enrolled 281 patients with hepatitis b. The study was sponsored by Hoffmann-La Roche and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was initial testing (phase 2). 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
23% cleared the hepatitis B surface antigen on xalnesiran plus interferon.
New England Journal of Medicine · 2024 · NCT04225715
These findings — that cleared hepatitis B surface antigen 24 weeks after xalnesiran plus pegylated interferon — were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 281 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
Xalnesiran is still in development and not yet FDA-approved. Standard chronic hepatitis B suppression with daily entecavir or tenofovir remains the FDA-approved cornerstone of treatment. Ask a liver specialist about whether you qualify for ongoing clinical trials.
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
Efficacy of Tenofovir Disoproxil on Mother-to-child Transmission of HBV in Tokombéré, Cameroon in Pregnant Women
Pregnant women with HBeAg-positive viral hepatitis b or high viral load will receive Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) from the 28th week of amenorrhoea until 6 weeks after delivery. Their newborns will receive the hepatitis B vaccine, starting with one dose at birth and followed by three booster doses, according to the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. The investigators hypothesise that a short course of TDF could greatly reduce the risk of HBV MTCT in pregnant women at high risk of MTCT (HBeAg positive or with high viral load).
Acceptability of Simultaneous Screening for Viral Hepatitis B, C and HIV Among Drug Users in Non-conventional Structures
The principle is to propose dedicated monthly screening days bringing together the health personnel involved (hepatologist, addictologist, nurse in charge of the program, addictology nurse and social worker) and to propose appropriate management for each situation assessed.