Science

Goutham Sunny: Vonafexor in HBV+ HCC – A Game-Changer?

Goutham Sunny/LinkedIn

Jul 2, 2025, 09:48

Goutham Sunny: Vonafexor in HBV+ HCC – A Game-Changer?

Goutham Sunny, Former Resident Doctor at The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, shared a post on X about a paper by Banglun Pan et al. published in the British Journal of Cancer:

“Vonafexor in HBV+ HCC: A Game-Changer?

Study Highlights:

Researchers modeled HBV+ HCC using patient-derived tumors in humanized mice to explore Vonafexor’s role beyond antiviral effects.

Key Findings:

Inhibits CD36-mediated fatty acid uptake in tumor cells, promoting sublethal damage

Boosts T and NK cell cytotoxicity by enhancing GZMB via cGAS-STING-NF-κB signaling

Reduces immune suppression by blocking MDSC infiltration through inhibition of c-Rel nuclear entry

Lowers HBV e-antigen, improving mitochondrial ROS signaling

Pros:

Dual action: Antiviral + Immunomodulatory

Targets metabolic vulnerability of HBV+ HCC

Enhances innate and adaptive immunity

Reduces immunosuppressive cell populations

Cons:

Preclinical; needs human validation

Mechanisms complex and may vary with patient heterogeneity

Unclear durability of immune activation

Significance:

Vonafexor shows promise as a novel immunotherapeutic for HBV-related liver cancer by reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment. Could represent a paradigm shift in targeting virus-associated cancers.”

Title: New mechanistic understanding of FXR agonist Vonafexor: inducing sublethal damage of HBV-positive liver cancer cells via promoting anti-tumor immunity

Authors: Banglun Pan, Siyan Chen, Zhu Zhang, Dongjie Ye, Xiaoxia Zhang, Yuxin Yao, Yue Luo, Hao Wu, Xiaoqian Wang and Nanhong Tang

You can read the Full Article in the British Journal of Cancer.

Goutham Sunny: Vonafexor in HBV+ HCC - A Game-Changer?

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