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NCT Number: NCT07610772

Safety and Antiviral Activity of a Monoclonal Hepatitis B Antibody: a Phase 1b, Open-label Trial in Individuals With Chronic Hepatitis D Infection

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a major global health issue, with an estimated 12 million people living with the infection worldwide. HDV infection requires the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), as it relies on hepatitis B virus for replication within the liver cells. Treatment options for HDV are limited and cannot cure the infection. The combination of concurrent HBV and HDV increases the risk of developing severe liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. This risk would significantly decrease if HDV is eliminated or reduced. Consequently, there is a need for the development of new treatment options.

Colleagues at Rockefeller University in New York have identified the antibody HepB mAb19, which effectively reduces the amount of circulating HBV antigens. Since HDV depends on HBV to replicate, we will test this antibody as a potential treatment for HDV.

The trial design is a phase 1b open-label aiming at including 15 study participants with chronic hepatitis D infection. All study participants will receive two or three dosis of the antibody, HepB mAB19, and will be followed for 60 weeks after the first HepB mAb19 infusion.

This study will evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of this antibody, as well as its potential effects on viral levels of HDV RNA and antiviral immune responses in individuals living with chronic HDV infection.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • HDV infection confirmed by positive anti-HDV antibody and detectable HDV RNA
  • HBs antibody negative during screening period
  • Both HBeAg positive and negative participants are included
  • Ability and willingness to provide informed consent
  • Participants who can become pregnant must agree to use two methods of contraception:
  • Participants who can impregnate a partner and who are engaging in sexual activity that could lead to pregnancy must agree to use condoms 10 days prior to study entry and during study follow up to avoid impregnating a partner who can get pregnant.

Exclusion criteria

  • Child-Turcotte-Pugh >9 points
  • Severe clinical hepatic decompensation-such as hepatic encephalopathy or variceal hemorrhage-occurring currently or within the past 12 months.
  • Any confirmed significant allergic reactions (urticaria or anaphylaxis) against monoclonal antibody or vaccine, or multiple drug allergies (non-active hay fever is acceptable)
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Any vaccination 2 weeks prior to entry
  • Prior receipt of HepB mAb19 therapy
  • Any significant acute infection (e.g. influenza, COVID-19) or any other clinically significant illness 2 weeks prior to entry
  • Active hepatitis C infection
  • Untreated HIV disease
  • Individuals with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy who have had a measurement of plasma HIV RNA (viral load) >50 copies/mL within the past 6 months are excluded. However, a single viral load measurement between >50 and <500 copies/mL during this period is acceptable.
  • Participation in another clinical study of an investigational product currently or 12 weeks prior to entry, or expected participation during this study

Laboratory abnormalities in the parameters listed below:

  • Alpha fetoprotein >100 ng/mL
  • Hemoglobin <10 gm/dL (6.21 mmol/L)
  • Platelet count <25,000 /mm3
  • Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min
  • ALT ≥ x10 upper limit of normal (ULN)

Current, or history of:

  • Clinical cardiovascular disease (e.g., cardiac insufficiency, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure.
  • Presence of clinically significant ECG abnormalities based on the average of the triplicate ECG recordings (e.g., PR interval >210 ms (1st degree AV block only if clinical symptoms are present), QT corrected for heart rate using the Fridericia's correction factor [QTcF] > 450 ms for males and QTcF >470 ms for females);
  • Chronic liver disease from another cause, ICD, or autoimmune diseases that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude participation
  • History of hematopoietic stem cell transplant or solid organ transplant

Treatment and study plan

HepB mAb19

Drug

All participants will receive a dose of HepB mAb19 at day 0 of 10 mg/kg and at day 28 of 30 mg/kg. They will receive a third dose at day 140 of 30 mg/kg if we observe a 1-log decrease in HDV RNA from week 0 to week 6.

Primary outcomes

  1. Safety and tolerability

    Time frame: Two weeks after each administration

    Rate and severity of solicited adverse events that are Grade 2 or above

  2. Safety and tolerability

    Time frame: 2, 12, 28 and 60 weeks after first HepB mAb19 administration

    Rate and severity of treatment-emerging unsolicited adverse events (including confirmed laboratory abnormalities) 2, 12, 28 and 60 weeks after first HepB mAb19 administration.

  3. Safety and tolerability

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Rate and severity of serious adverse events (SAEs) throughout the study period following investigational product (IP) administration

  4. Safety and tolerability

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Rate and severity of adverse events of special interest, such as immune complex disease (ICD) throughout the study period following IP administration.

  5. Pharmacokinetic profile

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    HepB mAb19 levels in serum will be measured by a validated sandwich ELISA method developed and performed by Celldex Therapeutics. HepB mAb19 levels will be measured before and at the end of each of the antibody administrations, at 3 and 6 hours, and at later time points during follow up.

  6. Pharmacokinetic profile

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Assesment of HepB mAb19 elimination half-life (t1/2)

  7. Pharmacokinetic profile

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Assesment of clearance (CL/F) of HepB mAb19

  8. Pharmacokinetic profile

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Calculation of volume of distribution (Vz/F)

  9. Pharmacokinetic profile

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Calculation of area under the curve (AUC) for HepB mAb19

  10. Pharmacokinetic profile

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Calculation of HepB mAb19 decay curve

Secondary outcomes

  1. Virologic response

    Time frame: From baseline (day 0) to week 28

    Virologic response defined as HDV RNA decrease of ≥2 log10 IU/mL or to undetectable from baseline (day 0) to week 28.

  2. Anti-drug antibodies

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Rate of induced anti-HepB mAb19 antibodies.

  3. Changes in liver function tests

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Changes in liver function tests (e.g. ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, albumin) at selected follow-up visits.

Other outcomes

  1. HBV markers

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    • Change in quantitative serum HBsAg levels from baseline (day 0) and from achieved nadir (lowest serum HBsAg level following IP administration) at each scheduled follow up visit.
    • HBV DNA levels at baseline and selected follow up visits
    • HBcrAg levels at baseline and selected follow up visits.
    • HBsAb conversion from negative at baseline to positive at selected follow up visits.
    • HBeAg levels at baseline and selected follow up visits.
    • HBeAb conversion from negative at baseline to positive at selected follow up visits, among participants who are seronegative at baseline.
    • HBV-specific T and B cell immune responses following HepB mAb19 administration.
  2. HDV markers

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    • Anti-HDV at baseline and at selected follow-up visits.
  3. Innate immune response

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of study at week 60

    Changes in innate immune responses following HepB mAb19 administration.

  4. Changes in inflammatory markers

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60

    Changes in inflammatory markers following HepB mAb19 administration.

  5. Changes in fibrosis grade

    Time frame: From enrollment to end of follow-up at week 60.

    Changes in fibrosis grade by FibroScan from entry to end of study.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Henriette Vendelbo Graversen, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+45 51 49 25 95

Ole Schmeltz Søgaard, MD, PhD, professor

CONTACT

[email protected]

+45 24 77 79 95

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Aarhus University Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Registry information

Official study title

Safety and Antiviral Activity of a Monoclonal Hepatitis B Antibody: a Phase 1b, Open-label Trial in Individuals With Chronic Hepatitis D Infection (the SAMBA-D Study)

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
May 28, 2026
Registry last updated
May 28, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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