A new study has revealed that a drug currently undergoing clinical trials against hepatitis C may also help prevent the spread of the hepatitis E virus.
According to the research report, around 70,000 people worldwide die each year due to the hepatitis E virus, and there is currently neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment available for this serious disease. However, a new ray of hope has now emerged.
An international research team comprising experts from the German cities of Bochum and Heidelberg, along with Beijing, China, has identified a compound named ‘bemnifosbuvir’, which has proven effective against the hepatitis E virus. The compound was selected from a pool of nucleotide/nucleoside analogue drugs.
Experts say the drug is already in the trial phase against the hepatitis C virus, raising hopes that it could be introduced as a treatment for hepatitis E in a relatively short period of time.
Scientists say that if further research and trials are successful, this discovery could prove to be life saving for millions of patients in the near future.
The study was published on March 6, 2026, in the renowned medical journal Gut, which experts have described as a major breakthrough.
