(1) Chronic viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma are still major health problems in Asian Pacific region. Although the national hepatitis B vaccination has successfully prevented 99% of adolescents and infants from hepatitis B virus infection, the carrier rate of hepatitis B in adults is still as high as 12-20%, and only 30-50% of patients are controlled by existing antiviral drugs but not easy to eradicate.

(2) Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common liver malignant tumor in Taiwan. There are about 2,000 new diagnoses every year. However, except for a small number of early-stage patients who can receive surgical resection, there is no effective treatment for HCC.

(3) After controlling chronic viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) and drug-induced liver injury (DILI) will become next most common etiologies within liver diseases.

(4) It is necessary to establish Taiwan Clinical Trial Consortium for Liver Diseases. The purpose of the consortium is to solve these devastating health problems through the conduction of clinical studies with high quality. Also, we can assist researchers and the industry to initiate liver disease-related clinical research and trials; promote the development of new drugs, and promote the health of the people.

International cooperation

1. Conduct phase III global clinical trial using Semaglutide in patients with NASH, in cooperation with Novo Nordics.

2. Conduct phase II global multi-center clinical trial using EYP001 for treatment of patients with hepatitis B, sponsored by ENYO pharma.

Industry-University-Research Orientation

1. Publish a series of high-impact articles under the leadership or assistance of our consortium. For example, Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir for Patients Coinfected With Chronic Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B in Taiwan: Follow-up 108 Weeks Posttreatment. Clin Infect Dis 2022, Clinical Infectious Diseases 2022.

Social and other aspects

1. In the past four years, more than 110,000 patients with chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan have already received DAA therapy. Among them, the number of patients who received Harvoni® treatment because of our successful clinical trial data was more than 30,000.

2. These treatment achievements will help achieve the goal set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, that is to successfully eradicate hepatitis C virus infection by 2025, which is five years earlier than the 2030 target set by the WHO.