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Methylene Blue Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

NCT06887036 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 10

Last updated 2025-08-17

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

HBV infection is a global public health problem. It is estimated that there are more than 250 million HBV carriers worldwide, of whom approximately 600,000 die each year from HBV-related liver disease. Diagnosis and treatment depend on the stage of infection, the degree of liver inflammation, and the progression of fibrosis. Patients with HBeAg-positive or -negative hepatitis are usually treated with nucleos(-t)ide analogues. This treatment inhibits HBV reverse transcriptase and reduces viral replication, but does not affect HBsAg production. Treatment must be continued for life in most cases and is associated with high cumulative costs and the risk of development of resistance.

Recently, it has been shown that patients who show a decrease in their HBsAg levels are more likely to become HBsAg negative, seroconvert and be able to stop antiviral treatment, which is the ultimate goal of treatment, but unfortunately rarely achieved. Methylene blue (MB) has been shown to have an effect on HBsAg levels in vitro, making it a promising test for a new treatment for HBV.

This is an explorative pilot study, open label, dose-escalation, single center clinical trial on the efficacy of MB against HBV infection.

Primary objective is to assess the efficacy of incremental doses of MB against hepatitis B virus in patients with chronic hepatitis B assessed by the reduction of both the HBsAg and HBV DNA levels after 6 months of treatment and 6 months of follow-up.

Participant will be treated for 6 months with MB 100 mg capsules, and then followed up for a further 6 months. The initial dose of MB might be increased if the patient is a non-responder.

Conditions

  • Chronic HBV Infection

Interventions

DRUG

Methylene Blue

Subjects will be initially treated with an initial dose of 200mg/day for 8 weeks at which point the investigators will assess the effect of the treatment. Those patients that obtain a "complete response" will continue their treatment up to a total of 24 weeks with the same dose. Those who do not reach a "complete response" will be exposed to the next higher dose of 400mg/day for the following 8 weeks and the investigators will then again assess the effect of the treatment. Those patients that obtain a "complete response" will continue their treatment up to a total of 24 weeks with the same dose. Those who do not reach a "complete response" will be exposed to the next higher dose of 600mg/day for the following 8 weeks and the investigators will then assess the effect of the treatment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
79 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-09-30
Primary Completion
2026-10-31
Completion
2026-10-31

Countries

  • Switzerland

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06887036 on ClinicalTrials.gov