Hep AD38 Assay: A High-Throughput, Cell-Based Screen for the Evaluation of Compounds Against Hepatitis B Virus

Approximately 5% of the world’s population has been infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Ten percent of these adults will become chronic carriers, as will 95% of the infants infected perinatally. Those that do become chronically infected with HBV are at increased risk of developing liver dysfunction, cirrhosis, and liver failure (1 ). In addition, they also have a greater incidence of heptocellular carcinoma (2 ). Approximately two million chronic carriers die annually from liver disease attributed to infection by HBV (3 ).