A NEW study has confirmed the effectiveness of the hepatitis E vaccine HEV 239 (Hecolin) in protecting individuals with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) from symptomatic hepatitis E infection. The research found that the vaccine reduced the risk of medically attended symptomatic hepatitis E by 72.1% among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals.
The study, which analysed data from 2,926 HBsAg-positive adults in Jiangsu, China, was part of a larger phase 3 clinical trial (NCT01014845) conducted between 2007 and 2017. Researchers used a test-negative design, comparing 96 confirmed hepatitis E cases to 2,830 test-negative controls to evaluate vaccine effectiveness. Among participants who had received the vaccine during the phase 3 trial, protection increased to 81.5%.
Hepatitis E poses a significant risk to those with pre-existing liver conditions, including CHB, which can exacerbate liver disease progression. The findings suggest that vaccination with HEV 239 could be a critical preventative measure for this high-risk group.
Lead researcher Chunlan Zhuang and colleagues concluded that their findings support recommending HEV 239 for HBsAg-positive individuals to prevent severe complications from hepatitis E. The results provide strong evidence for expanding hepatitis E vaccination programs, particularly in regions where both hepatitis B and hepatitis E are endemic.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Zhuang C et al. Effectiveness of a hepatitis E vaccine against medically-attended symptomatic infection in HBsAg-positive adults from a test-negative design study. Nat Commun. 2025;DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57021-3.
