Let’s break down hepatitis D treatment for World Hepatitis Day 2026!

 

Release of the sixth “Insights on HDV and HBV” video for World Hepatitis Day 2026

To mark World Hepatitis Day 2026, TherVacB, D‑SOLVE, Deutsche Leberstiftung, ICE‑HBV, the Stephan Urban Foundation, and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) answer one of the questions most frequently asked by people living with hepatitis B and D: What treatment options are available for hepatitis D today, and what could become available in the future?

Releasing the sixth video in their joint awareness series “Insights on HDV and HBV” on WHD2026, the new video builds on previous episodes covering hepatitis B and D diagnosis, co-infection, prevention and research. The new video helps people living with hepatitis B and D understand today’s hepatitis D treatment landscape. It explains why hepatitis D matters and testing matters so much, the current standard of care, the advantages and limitations of available therapies – including bulevirtide – and introduces the most promising treatments currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

This year’s WHO theme, “Let’s break it down”, highlights the importance of making hepatitis information clear and accessible. The WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 likewise identifies hepatitis D as the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis and calls for improved testing, surveillance and access to care. The new video contributes to this effort by translating complex research into practical information for patients, families and healthcare professionals. 

 What will you learn in the new video?

In the new video, Dr Elisabetta Degasperi from the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Foundation Policlinico of the University of Milan in Italy explains the latest developments in hepatitis D care. Drawing on her experience caring for people living with hepatitis B and D and her work in international clinical trials, including D-SOLVE, Dr Degasperi answers four key questions:

1. What is hepatitis D?
2. What is the current standard treatment for hepatitis D?
3. What are the advantages and limitations of bulevirtide, the first approved treatment for hepatitis D?
4. Which new treatment approaches are currently being evaluated in clinical trials?

The video includes English captions, and automatic subtitles are available in multiple languages, making the content accessible to audiences around the world.

 

What is new in hepatitis D treatment?

Treatment options for hepatitis D have long been limited. The new video gives a simple overview of today’s treatment landscape and explains what may become available next. This is especially important because many people living with hepatitis B are still not aware that hepatitis D can also affect them. More knowledge means earlier testing, earlier diagnosis and better care.

The new video by Dr Degasperri explains today’s standard of care and introduces several promising therapies currently being evaluated in clinical trials. For people living with hepatitis B, understanding these advances can support informed discussions with their healthcare teams and encourage appropriate HDV testing. 

Treatment options for hepatitis D are evolving rapidly. Since the recording of the video, another important milestone has been reached: in 2026, bulevirtide also received FDA approval in the United States, expanding access to the first approved hepatitis D therapy beyond Europe. The treatment had already been available in Russia and several neighbouring countries since 2019.  

 

Why does hepatitis D matter for people living with hepatitis B?

Hepatitis D only occurs in people who already have hepatitis B (HBV), because the hepatitis D virus (HDV) needs hepatitis B surface protein to multiply. Although hepatitis D affects an estimated 12 million people worldwide, many people living with chronic hepatitis B are unaware that they could also be infected with HDV.

While D-SOLVE EU project is helping improve today’s diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis D, TherVacB is working towards a therapeutic vaccine that aims to achieve functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Because hepatitis D depends on hepatitis B to survive, advances in HBV cure research could ultimately transform the outlook for people living with both infections.

According to the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026, HBV-HDV co-infection is the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis and can progress rapidly to cirrhosis and liver cancer. At the same time, treatment options have historically been limited, making awareness and early diagnosis especially important. The WHO also notes that preventing hepatitis B through vaccination helps prevent hepatitis D as well. For people living with chronic hepatitis B, this means that hepatitis D should always be part of the conversation. Early testing and clear information can make a real difference.