A resistant mutant virus that neutralizes Tenofovir, the strongest treatment for hepatitis B virus, has been discovered. Professor Kyun-hwan Kim and Professor Eun-Sook Park of Konkuk University School of Medicine have teamed up with Professor Jung-hoon Lee of Seoul National University Hospital to identify and isolate resistant viruses from patients.[Photo: From left, Professor Kyun-hwan Kim and Professor Eun-sook Park of Konkuk University School of Medicine, Professor Jung-hoon Lee of Seoul Naitonal University Hospital]Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of death from chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, and about 400 million people are infected worldwide. Tenofovir is the most potent chronic B-infection treatment to date. Unlike other antiviral agents, it was known that there was no drug resistance mutation. However, the research team found mutant hepatitis B viruses resistant to Tenofovir from patients and identified their characteristics and causes of resistance. The virus was isolated from two serum from patients who had been treated with Tenofovir. The virus mutated at four sites of the polymerase, reducing drug susceptibility by 15-fold, resulting in drug resistance and viral breakthrough.Professor Gyun-hwan Kim said, "This study found a new resistance mutation against Tenofovir, the most potent hepatitis B drug, and analyzed its characteristics. It is very meaningful to propose that it is urgently necessary to develop a new antiviral agent for chronic hepatitis B in the future." Professor Jung-hoon Lee said, "Oral medications for all types of hepatitis B virus can cause resistance mutations and should not be used for indiscriminate antiviral therapy." However, appropriate antiviral agents can reduce the incidence of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer "We do not have to worry about unnecessary fears because the incidence of resistance mutations is not so high." Research achievements were carried out by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Korea Research Foundation Basic Research Project and it was published in the International Journal, the European Journal of Hepatology on February 20.[Figure: The drug concentration (IC50), which reduces the viral replication by 50%, was calculated to be 24 and 15 times that of the normal virus (1-1 or 1-13) and mutant virus (CYEI) , which means there is resistance to the drug.]