Urban Stephan

University Hospital Heidelberg

Department of Infectious Diseases

Molecular Virology / Translational Virology

Im Neuenheimer Feld 344

69120 Heidelberg, Germany

Phone: 0049-6221-56 4902

Email: stephan.urban@med.uni-heidelberg.de

Curriculum Vitae

INTERNAL

Project Specific Informations

Short Summary

The appointment of the „W3 Professorship Translational Virology“ within the TTU Hepatitis in Heidelberg met the demand for the translation of basic research into clinical application. Prof. Urban accepted the position on April 1st 2014. This allowed to strengthen the translational research activity in the field of hepatitis B and D at this site. The central points of research activity of this infrastructure measure are focused on the following aspects: (i) Clinical accompanying research activities for the development and after introduction to the market of the first approved HBV/HDV entry inhibitor Hepcludex/bulevirtide. (ii) Development of novel strategies to improve bulevirtide and its application in new areas outside HBV therapy. This includes the development of HBV preS-derived peptides as vehicles of other pharmaceuticals for directed transport to the liver. (iii) Development of novel cell culture systems to investigate genotype-dependency of hepatitis D infection, including the identification and pre-clinical development of new active substances. (iv) In parallel to these applied research activities key aspects in HBV/HDV fundamental research will be pursued. By an improved understanding of the HBV/HDV replication principles, we hope to gain new insights into the synergisms of virus combat and thereby potentially curative ways for future combination therapies.

Highlights

• Successful introduction of bulevirtide/Hepcludex into the European market in 2020

• Demonstration of pan-genotypic activity of bulevirtide for all HBV and HDV genotypes

• Preclinical development of hepatotropic bile acid variants as second-generation HBV/HDV entry inhibitors

• Development of novel in vitro systems to quantify synergistic or antagonistic drug activities on HDV infection

• Identification and characterisation of novel hit and lead substances with antiviral activity against HBV and HDV