A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Yael David at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has identified a potential treatment for Hepatitis B using the chemotherapy drug Curaxin-137.

In laboratory tests, Curaxin-137 demonstrated remarkable efficacy, nearly eliminating the Hepatitis B virus and significantly outperforming four other tested drugs.

This discovery could lead to the first-ever drug treatment for Hepatitis B, a virus that affects about 5% of the global population and is responsible for over one million deaths each year.

Hepatitis B is particularly prevalent in Israel, with approximately 90,000 reported infections, primarily transmitted through unprotected sex, mother-to-child transmission, and blood transfusions.

The research team uncovered a "molecular switch" within the Hepatitis B virus that, when turned off early, can prevent the virus from spreading.

The study, which spanned seven years, involved collaboration among researchers from MSK, Cornell University, and Rockefeller University, and was published in the journal Cell.

Currently, treatments for Hepatitis B do not eradicate the virus, necessitating lifelong antiviral medications for those infected, especially for newborns born to infected mothers.

As the next step, clinical trials are planned; however, traditional animal testing poses challenges since the virus cannot infect mice, making beavers the only suitable animal model.

Dr. David's findings may also have broader implications for treating other viral infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Dr. David, with her background in biochemistry, emphasizes the importance of ensuring the safe use of Curaxin-137 at lower doses to protect patient health.

Reflecting on her career, Dr. David expresses optimism for future scientific breakthroughs that could extend beyond this significant discovery.