Experimental CRMA-1001 therapy silences hepatitis B virus DNA, offering new hope

An experimental therapy called CRMA-1001 is a remarkable development because, instead of targeting the virus directly, it silences the viral DNA; this is promising because current treatments rarely eliminate the DNA, which allows the virus to rebound

Source

The Hindu — Science & Tech →

Quick Revision

Prelims-testable facts

01CRMA-1001 is an experimental therapy that silences the viral DNA of the hepatitis B virus instead of targeting the virus directly.
02Current treatments for hepatitis B rarely eliminate the viral DNA, allowing the virus to rebound.
03Chronic hepatitis B affects approximately 240 million people worldwide.
04CRMA-1001 has shown promising results in preclinical models, with up to 90% of treated mice achieving undetectable levels of HBV DNA.
05CRMA-1001 employs an optimized epigenetic silencer that represses viral transcription through targeted deposition of DNA methylation.
06Approved chronic hepatitis B therapies rarely result in a functional cure due to their inability to permanently silence all transcriptionally active HBV DNA.
07The therapy CRMA-1001 has the potential for a functional cure in individuals living with chronic hepatitis B.

Trap alerts

Most people think that CRMA-1001 targets the hepatitis B virus directly, but actually it silences the viral DNA.
Most people think that current treatments for hepatitis B eliminate the viral DNA, but actually they rarely do.

Prelims Practice MCQs

Single facteasy

CRMA-1001 targets the viral DNA of which virus?

A.Hepatitis C virus
B.Hepatitis B virus
C.Hepatitis A virus
D.Hepatitis D virus

CRMA-1001 is an experimental therapy that silences the viral DNA of the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B virus is a viral infection.

Statement I & IIhard

Consider the following two statements: Statement-I: CRMA-1001 is a promising development in the treatment of hepatitis B virus. Statement-II: CRMA-1001 targets the viral DNA of the hepatitis B virus instead of the virus itself, which is why it is a promising development. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct but Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
C.Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
D.Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Statement 1 is true because CRMA-1001 is a remarkable development in the treatment of hepatitis B virus. Statement 2 is true because CRMA-1001 targets the viral DNA of the hepatitis B virus instead of the virus itself. Statement 2 explains why CRMA-1001 is a promising development because it targets the viral DNA, which is a key aspect of its approach.

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